Calcium Propionate CAS 4075-81-4 - More than Just a Mildew Preventer
In the field of food and feed preservation, there is a widely recognized and extensively applied substance - calcium propionate. With its outstanding performance, it has become a highly trusted mold inhibitor for food and feed, and its safe and reliable characteristics have been highly recognized by the industry.
Calcium propionate has demonstrated a powerful ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria and molds. Moreover, it also has a remarkable effect in killing bacteria. Behind this powerful effect lies a set of scientific and exquisite principles. When under acidic conditions, calcium propionate undergoes specific chemical reactions, thereby generating free propionic acid. This free propionic acid has an extraordinary antibacterial effect, as if it were a well-trained "antibacterial force" capable of launching powerful attacks against bacteria and molds.
The undissociated active molecules of propionic acid, on the other hand, act like tiny "defensive fortress", ingeniously creating a high osmotic pressure environment outside the mold cells. In this special environment, the water inside the mold cells is forced to seep out, causing the cells to gradually dehydrate. Just like a lake that has been drained of water, losing the moisture necessary for life, mold cells also lose their ability to reproduce, effectively preventing the rampant growth of mold and playing a crucial role in mold prevention.
What is even more worth mentioning is that after calcium propionate enters the body of dairy cows, a series of wonderful physiological changes will occur. It will hydrolyze into propionic acid and calcium ions, and then be absorbed through the metabolic processes in the cow's body. This unique advantage is beyond the reach of other fungicides. It should be noted that propionic acid plays a significant role in the metabolic process of dairy cows and is an indispensable volatile fatty acid.
Propionic acid is actually a product of a series of complex metabolic processes of carbohydrates in the cow's body. In the rumen, a special "digestive factory", it is absorbed and converted into lactose, providing necessary energy support for the operation of the cow's body functions.
In the bodies of ruminants, the role of calcium propionate is not limited to preventing mold. It can also effectively alleviate the problems of secondary fermentation and heat generation that are prone to occur during the storage of TMR (Total Mixed Ration), providing strong support for the storage and quality assurance of feed. In addition, calcium propionate also has many important functions.
Preventing milk fever is one of them. Milk fever is a metabolic disorder symptom caused by calcium deficiency, which is relatively common in perinatal dairy cows and is a disturbing nutritional and metabolic disease. Calcium propionate is like a timely rain. It can supplement calcium ions for dairy cows, increase the blood calcium concentration in their bodies, effectively prevent the occurrence of milk fever, and ensure the health of dairy cows.
Avoiding ketosis is also a major contribution of calcium propionate. Ketosis in dairy cows often occurs in the early stage of lactation, posing a serious threat to the health of dairy cows. The causes are rather complex, including energy imbalance, glucose deficiency and the accumulation of indigestible by-products (ketone bodies), etc. For ruminants, the part of the small intestine that absorbs glycogen is very limited, and the main source of sugar mainly relies on the gluconeogenesis process in the liver. In this process, propionic acid plays a key role. It is the main precursor substance of gluconeogenesis. By supplementing calcium propionate, the blood sugar level of dairy cows can be improved, the content of ketone bodies in the blood can be reduced, and the risk of ketosis can be lowered, thus safeguarding the health of dairy cows.
In terms of energy supply, calcium propionate also performs well. High-yielding dairy cows, due to their large milk production, are prone to the problem of negative energy balance. Propionic acid, as a high-quality source of carbohydrate energy, is of great significance in solving this problem. Each mole of propionic acid in dairy cows can net generate 17 moles of ATP (adenosine triphosphate, which is the main energy source in animals) through a series of metabolic reactions. With an adequate supply of ATP, the negative energy balance of dairy cows can be effectively improved, allowing them to maintain good physical condition and production performance.
Furthermore, under hot weather conditions, dairy cows are prone to the influence of heat stress. At this time, calcium propionate once again demonstrated its unique advantages. It can regulate the physiological functions and blood indicators of heat-stressed dairy cows. Through this regulatory effect, the milk production and fat percentage of dairy cows can be increased, and at the same time, the breathing rate will also decrease accordingly. This series of changes is like holding up a "protective umbrella" for the cows, effectively alleviating the negative impact of heat stress on them, allowing the cows to continue providing people with high-quality milk in a relatively comfortable state.
