DDC Tech Day | Factors Influencing the Palatability of Pellets—Hardness (PDI)

The palatability of feed is clearly influenced by the characteristics of the diet. Among the sensory attributes of feed, aroma and taste play a crucial role; however, tactile sensations—such as hardness, crispness, viscosity, and chewiness—also significantly contribute to how appealing food is to animals.   Research findings reveal: the correlation between feed texture structure and food preference—specifically, hardness ( r = -0.49 ， p < 0.001 ), crispness ( r = -0.49 ， p < 0.001 ）、Chewable Viscosity（ r = -0.36 ， p = 0.003 ）   It has also been found during the rearing process in some farms that the particle hardness of pellet feed can significantly affect animal production performance.   Therefore, how to control the pellet hardness of feed pellets is a question that some manufacturers and researchers are actively exploring. Looking at the entire process of pellet feed production, aside from the feed formulation, the processing techniques that influence pellet hardness include: the grinding process of raw materials; the extrusion and expansion processes of raw materials; the mixing, water addition, and oil-spraying processes for raw materials; the steam pre-conditioning process; the selection of dies during the pelleting stage; the post-ripening and post-spraying processes; and the drying and cooling processes.

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