28 June 2021- In a time of rising raw materials prices, producers naturally want to be sure they are unlocking the maximum amount of nutrients from their feed.
To help them do so, Kemin Industries is changing perceptions about a long-established staple of feed mills: the emulsifier. In fact, the company argues that its LYSOFORTE® product’s mode of action goes so far beyond that of other emulsifiers that it is instead a new category of product: the “nutrient absorption enhancer.”
Moreover, beyond product-centric development in the area of improved fat digestibility, the company has also focused on high-level research to help put tools in the hands of producers allowing them to evaluate the quality of their fat sources, ensure they are getting the quality they are paying for, and compensate for any defaults such as oxidation.
Today, Feedinfo invites Julie Pecqueur, product manager for Biosurfactants and Antioxidants for Kemin’s Asia-Pacific operations, and Karen Bierinckx, product manager for Biosurfactants, Antioxidants and Flavours in Kemin EMENA, to talk further about the company’s vision for how the neglected topic of total nutrient absorption can support producers as they aim for higher performance and lower resource use.
[Feedinfo] Can you introduce Kemin’s “nutrient absorption enhancer” category? What are the similarities and differences between categories the industry might be more familiar with, such as emulsifiers or enzymes?
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Julie Pecqueur |
[Julie Pecqueur] Today, enzymes (e.g. non-starch polysaccharides enzymes, protease and phytase) are well accepted as the key additives to optimise feed digestibility, which is necessary in view of the increasingly complex diet recipes and the wide range of available raw materials. Enzymes, however, only release nutrients from the feed matrix, cleaving these into smaller molecules as a first step in the digestion process. Despite nutrient balancing and the use of diverse feed additives to optimise feed formulation, a significant amount of undigested nutrients still passes the digestive tract to be released in the faeces. |
However, LYSOFORTE® is more than an emulsifier; it’s a nutrient absorption enhancer, which is a distinctly different product. As the word suggests, emulsifiers help only to emulsify the fat into smaller droplets. LYSOFORTE®, beyond promoting emulsification, also enhances the important subsequent steps of fat digestion, leading to improved absorption of the final nutrients released from the gut into the body – crucial for optimal utilisation by the animal. LYSOFORTE® effectively acts in synergy with enzymes, which results in more efficient use of the diet, thus further improving animal performance, making production more sustainable and better managing costs.
Kemin also provides technical, laboratory and application services to ease the implementation of a tailor-made LYSOFORTE® in-feed programme.
[Feedinfo] How does LYSOFORTE® work?
[Julie Pecqueur] LYSOFORTE® is a biosurfactant highly enriched in lysophospholipids. First, the active ingredients support emulsification, the first stage of lipid digestion, by creating more small lipid droplets. This provides a larger surface area for more efficient lipase activity in the intestinal tract.
Following the hydrolysis of triglycerides into fatty acids and monoglycerides, LYSOFORTE® also allows for faster micelle formation, helping to create smaller, more stable micelles, which are essential to absorb fatty acids and other fat-soluble nutrients through the intestinal wall more efficiently.
Finally, lysophospholipids enhance nutrient absorption by increasing membrane permeability and protein channel formation in the intestinal wall and improving gut morphology. In contrast to conventional emulsifiers that only work on the emulsification phase, LYSOFORTE® works at all three steps.
Hence, LYSOFORTE® not only improves the digestion of dietary fat, but it also promotes the body’s effective uptake of fatty acids and other essential nutrients such as amino acids, glucose, vitamins, and pigments.
[Feedinfo] Kemin has been a supplier of biosurfactants for monogastric diets for 25 years now. How has the foundation of biosurfactants in pig and poultry production evolved, both in terms of mode of action and the value it can bring to the industry?
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Karen Bierinckx |
[Karen Bierinckx] Our understanding of emulsification, fat digestion, nutrient absorption and the mode of action of LYSOFORTE® has significantly grown over the years through continuous scientific and commercial research in various animal species. This has given us insight that LYSOFORTE®’s mode of action goes beyond emulsification and impacts overall nutrient absorption. Thanks to product composition innovations, we have brought additional value and differentiation from other lysolecithin products on the market. |
Second, Kemin invested in several gene expression studies, which showed that in poultry, LYSOFORTE® triggers the expression of genes involved in the collagen production in the intestinal wall. This contributes to the larger mode of action of LYSOFORTE®, as more collagen fibres support longer villi and, thus, a greater surface for nutrient absorption.
We have continuously invested in LYSOFORTE®, building proof of its concept, demonstrating the unique benefits it brings to the feed industry and supporting our customers to raise animals and produce protein in the most efficient way.
Kemin also has in-depth expertise in fat and oil quality, thanks to a well-developed database of analyses of all kinds of dietary lipids that are used in different geographies.
[Feedinfo] Going forward, what are the main production challenges where you believe LYSOFORTE® can have the most impact?
[Karen Bierinckx] LYSOFORTE® has proven to be a valuable tool for integrators and feed producers to reduce feed costs while maintaining high performance standards and helping to ensure production profitability, especially given the high and volatile commodity price conditions in the market today.
Enhancing digestion of the dietary fat matrix to maximise bioavailability of energy and other essential nutrients supports improved feed conversion ratio, higher weight gains and greater carcass yield, and also allows producers to reformulate the diet with a lower inclusion of crude fat and protein. Hence, LYSOFORTE® provides an immediate benefit on feed cost level, even on top of enzymes in the diet. And, of course, it also contributes to healthier and better-performing animals, meaning more sustainable production.
[Feedinfo] How can potential users assess the value of using LYSOFORTE® in their diets and production?
[Julie Pecqueur] LYSOFORTE® can be applied in various ways according to the objective of the customer.
To enhance performance and carcass yield, it can be added on top. By increasing nutrient bioavailability, LYSOFORTE® also enhances weight gain and feed conversion ratio and leads to less abdominal fat deposition, resulting in a higher income.
Another goal of producers can be to reduce feed costs while maintaining animal performance. When LYSOFORTE® is applied in a reformulation strategy based on Kemin’s recommended matrix value, it can help lower the levels of metabolisable energy and crude protein in the diet.
Moreover, in layers, studies have shown that LYSOFORTE® also improves egg yolk pigmentation, which can create added value for the producer, especially when using more expensive natural pigments in the diet.
Kemin recently launched a cost-benefit calculator online so producers can easily assess the feed cost savings resulting from LYSOFORTE® usage. Beyond this, Kemin also has a large team of technical experts available throughout the world who can help nutritionists design an appropriate strategy and precisely establish the value they can expect out of LYSOFORTE®.
[Feedinfo] Beyond product-specific R&D, Kemin is also heavily involved in research on oil and fat quality. Tell us about your Lipid Evaluation Test: what does it measure? What kind of insights has this led to about the quality of feed-grade oils and fats being used around the world? How are you putting that understanding at the service of feed producers?
[Karen Bierinckx] Kemin’s Lipid Evaluation Test (LET) is a laboratory service tool for in-depth assessment of oxidative quality and the true nutritional value of fats and oils.
LET analyses a series of 10 wet chemical parameters (oxidative and nutritional factors) to estimate apparent metabolisable energy value in poultry and digestible energy value in pigs by using the Wiseman equation, which takes into consideration correction factors based on the presence of energy-diluting compounds.
Through our LET service, we can help our customers evaluate their applied fat and oils sources and improve the application of dietary lipids in order to combat unwanted batch-to-batch variations of lipids and increase feed formulation precision. This provides them with more insights on how to guarantee a higher quality and shelf life of their diets. We can even enable customers to reduce the number of oil/fat suppliers and select only the best for their production.
[Feedinfo] What should the industry expect out of Kemin in this space going forward? Where do you foresee future developments in this category?
[Julie Pecqueur] Recently, we brought a liquid version of LYSOFORTE® to the market, which brings additional benefits to our customers beyond the traditional dry version. The liquid version automates the product’s application of LYSOFORTE® in feed and brings economy of scale for larger feed mills. In liquid LYSOFORTE®, the active ingredients are in the proximity of the nutrients more quickly, which results in a faster activation and, thus, increased efficacy.
Kemin is committed to providing cost-efficient nutritional solutions and has R&D teams all over the world developing specific solutions to fit the needs of our customers. In close collaboration with various research institutes, we keep innovating at the product, application and service levels. I am very excited about our development pipeline.
Published in association with Kemin Industries
