Date: 29/08/2025

The food industry is constantly seeking ingredients that optimize nutritional value and production efficiency. In this context, animal-derived oils and fats are high-value components.

These inputs contain essential nutrients (with percentages of fat, protein, and other essential nutrients) for animal development and health. Therefore, the strategic use of these lipid sources goes beyond providing energy.

Furthermore, oils and fats can help improve food palatability, facilitate the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and improve product texture.

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What is the importance of oils and fats in animal nutrition?

The oils and fats provide concentrated energy for various species. They are included in diets to meet nutritional needs. These nutrients provide energy and aid in animal nutrition.

It is worth noting that oils and fats make feed more attractive to animals, improve energy content, reduce dust formation, and facilitate the absorption of vitamins such as A, D, and K. These vitamins have the following benefits:

- Vitamin A: protects the eyes against macular degeneration and helps prevent eye disorders;
- Vitamin D: promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, improving bone health;
- Vitamin K: prevents calcification of blood vessels, prevents bleeding, and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Providing energy

According to a study by the Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), lipids have a high energy content and provide 2.25 times more energy than carbohydrates and proteins. Therefore, fats help improve feed efficiency in feed for poultry, swine, pets, and other animals.

Providing fatty acids

Free fatty acids help form new cells and improve the immune system of living beings.

Some essential fatty acids for animals include omega-3 and omega-6, arachidonic acid (found in beef, eggs, and chicken), and eicosapentaenoic acid (found in marine fish).

According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, omega-3 helps modulate the lipid profile, has anti-inflammatory properties, and also modulates heart rate, making it an important ally in the health and well-being of animals.

Omega-6, in turn, has anti-inflammatory properties, helps prevent depression, and prevents cardiovascular disease, according to research published in the Revista de Ciências Agroveterinárias.

Palatable feed

The use of lipids in feed reduces the use of low-palatability energy sources. This makes it possible to develop a better-tasting final product that simultaneously provides more energy to animals.

It is important to note that oils and fats are associated with the use of palatability enhancers, making the feed more palatable and improving animal acceptance.

According to research conducted by the Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, palatability enhancers improve feed acceptance by making the food more attractive, encouraging pet consumption.

These elements can be added during the feed manufacturing process. In other cases, palatability enhancers can be added in liquid form using a concrete mixer, according to a study by the Universidade Estadual de Londrina.

What are the benefits of lipids in feed?

When used in animal feed, lipids provide numerous benefits and are part of the nutritional needs of living beings. This organic compound is essential in the composition of a complete food from a nutritional standpoint.

In addition, there are other benefits to using lipids in animal feed. Among the main positive aspects are cost-effectiveness and the development of denser feeds.

Lower costs

The caloric value of lipids is 2.25 times higher than other types of nutrients. This improves feed conversion and makes it easier to use them in diets with truly low-cost fats, according to a study by Nutritime Electronic Magazine.

Elimination of powderiness

Incorporating fats into feed helps reduce or eliminate powderiness (excess powder or dust), which enhances the feed's appearance and increases its palatability.

High-density feed

Increasing feed density is even more important during the summer months. Because of the high temperatures, many animals tend to consume less feed during this period.

In this context, to preserve the presence of nutrients in animal nutrition, it is important to develop a feed with a high energy content and a high concentration of other nutrients.

Lipids serve precisely this purpose, as they have a high caloric value and a high concentration of nutrients, favoring increased feed density.

Facilitates the nutrition of various nutrients

Fats also facilitate the absorption of other nutrients by animals, including calcium (which strengthens bones), fat-soluble vitamins, and pigments (xanthophylls, carotenes).

What is the relevance of these ingredients in the circular economy?

Animal oils and fats are part of the circular economy and BRF's integrated supply chain. These nutrients are raw materials that aid in the development of high-performance nutrients for the Animal Nutrition, Food Ingredients, Human Health, and Plant Nutrition markets.

Furthermore, BRF Ingredients has a production chain 100% integrated with BRF, generating efficiency and contributing to the circular economy. With quality from farm to fork, the business division supplies the market with ingredients produced with fresh raw materials and traceability at every stage.

BRF Ingredients offers a diversified portfolio of animal nutrition products, including pork rind fat, pork fat, and poultry oil, and is committed to the optimized use of lipids in different products.

Final considerations:

The analysis of the role of animal oils and fats demonstrates the importance of these components for the food industry. This rational use of lipid sources is a pillar of sustainability, as it transforms byproducts into valuable inputs, reducing waste and adding value to the production chain.

The strategic inclusion of oils in feed and other food products not only enhances the nutritional profile but also optimizes the economic efficiency of operations. Understanding the properties and applications of these materials allows the formulation of products that meet market demands.

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