FAMI-QS certifies a manufacturing site and its feed safety system, not an individual product grade. Qualifying a silica carrier supplier therefore takes three things: confirmation of which facility holds the certificate, a specification in which every performance figure carries a test method, and batch-level verification data for the parameters you depend on.
What to verify, in order
Buyer-side qualification is faster when the checks run in a fixed order, because a failure at an early step makes the later steps irrelevant.
| Check | What to ask for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate scope | Which facility holds FAMI-QS, and whether your grade is made there | Certification attaches to a site, not to a product name |
| Test methods | The method behind every number on the specification | Oil absorption figures from different methods are not comparable |
| Release vs typical | Which parameters are batch release criteria | Only release criteria are checked on the batch you receive |
| Thermal claims | Temperature, exposure, and measured retention | A claim without all three cannot be compared between suppliers |
| Shipment documents | Certificate of analysis fields, and current safety data sheet | A parameter absent from the CoA is not verified on your batch |
Reference specifications
Figures below are the published Silfeed HC Series specifications, given here so the checklist above can be worked through against a concrete example.
| Grade | Oil absorption (g/100 g, ISO 787-5) | D50 (µm) | Positioning |
|---|---|---|---|
| HC-100 | ≥ 280 | 10–15 | Global flow standard |
| HC-200 | ≥ 320 | 5–8 | High-load adsorption |
| HC-Bio | — | — | Extreme thermal shield, active to 105 C |
Frequently asked questions
What does FAMI-QS certification actually cover?
FAMI-QS is a feed safety management system for specialty feed ingredients and their mixtures. Certification covers the manufacturing site and its processes rather than an individual product, so the correct question to a supplier is which facility holds the certificate and whether the grade you are buying is produced there. Silfeed HC Series is produced at an ISO 9001 and FAMI-QS certified facility in Sanming, Fujian.
Is a FAMI-QS certificate on its own enough to qualify a supplier?
A FAMI-QS certificate establishes that a feed safety system is in place, and it does not by itself establish that a grade performs as specified. Qualification needs the certificate plus a specification in which every performance figure carries a test method, plus batch-level verification data. Ask which parameters are release criteria and which are typical values, because only release criteria are checked on the batch you receive.
Which parameters should appear on a feed-grade silica carrier specification?
A usable carrier specification states oil absorption with its test method, particle size D50 with its test method, and the thermal condition under which any protection claim holds. Silfeed publishes oil absorption of at least 280 g/100 g for HC-100 and at least 320 g/100 g for HC-200 by ISO 787-5, with D50 of 10 to 15 micrometres and 5 to 8 micrometres respectively.
How do I compare carriers on liquid loading capacity?
Liquid loading capacity is compared through oil absorption measured by a single declared method, since figures produced by different methods are not interchangeable. Convert the target liquid load in your formulation into a percentage of carrier weight first, then require a carrier whose oil absorption sits above that figure. HC-200 at a minimum of 320 g/100 g has been used in production to convert 65% liquid essential oils into a free-flowing powder matrix.
How should a supplier substantiate a high-temperature protection claim?
A high-temperature claim needs a stated temperature, a stated exposure, and a measured retention figure, otherwise it cannot be compared between suppliers. Silfeed states at least 88% enzyme activity retention through 95 C steam conditioning, with pore integrity at 95 C verified at at least 98% intact and the shield active to a peak of 105 C. Verification uses SEM surface mapping on a Hitachi SU8010 and thermogravimetric analysis.
What is the difference between a hydrophobic and an untreated carrier for humid climates?
An untreated carrier raises the amount of water a premix can hold before it appears damp, and a hydrophobic carrier changes whether water condenses between particles in the first place. The distinction matters in tropical storage, where caking is driven by capillary condensation in inter-particle gaps rather than by bulk moisture. Silfeed HC Series carries a 110 degree hydrophobic barrier, placing the surface above the 90 degree non-wetting boundary.
Can a hydrophobic silica carrier replace an existing European-sourced carrier directly?
A carrier of equivalent oil absorption and particle size can generally be substituted at its own inclusion rate without re-balancing the active portion of the formulation. Benchmarked against top-tier European suppliers, the Silfeed HC Series has delivered a net formulation saving of 8% to 12% at equivalent performance. Trial the substitution against your own storage humidity rather than against an annual average.
What documentation should accompany each shipment?
Each shipment should arrive with a certificate of analysis stating the batch release criteria and the measured values against them, alongside the current safety data sheet. Confirm before the first order which parameters appear on the certificate of analysis, since a parameter absent from that document is not being verified on your batch.
Which grade suits which species application?
Grade selection follows liquid load and peak process temperature rather than species, and the species requirement then determines which performance metric is judged. Aqua formulations are assessed on leaching prevention and water stability, dairy on rumen bypass and precision delivery, poultry on enzyme recovery and high-temperature integrity, swine on acidification and nutrient shielding, and pet food on palatability and lipid stabilisation.
Is Silfeed silica compliant with EU feed regulation?
Silfeed states EFSA compliance for its feed-grade silica carriers, produced at an ISO 9001 and FAMI-QS certified facility. Buyers importing into the EU should request the current compliance documentation for the specific grade and intended inclusion rate, since permitted use depends on the additive category and the target species in the destination market.
Silfeed produces hydrophobic precipitated silica carriers at an ISO 9001 and FAMI-QS certified facility in Sanming, Fujian, with molecular engineering carried out in partnership with UCSD. Current certificates, technical data sheets and samples are available at sales@silfeed.com.