Chicken gut health is crucial in antibiotics-free period. Some alternatives such as probiotics, postbiotics, prebiotics, bile acids, antimicrobial peptides, essential oils, and vaccinations have been gradually accepted in poultry production.
Recently, a new alternative feed enzyme, glucose oxidase (GOD), has drawn attention to poultry and swine industry.
The GOD is exogenously produced by specific fungi fermentation to oxidize β-D-Glucose into gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide, consuming large amounts of oxygen at the same time in the chicken gut. Therefore, it can protect against oxidative stress and directly kill some pathogenic bacteria or Eimeria parasites.
Recently a thermal stable GOD is commercially available, and Table 1 clearly shows that at 85 °C, the enzyme recovery rate of this GOD maintains 92%.
Table 1. Thermostability of different GOD (3 minutes bath incubation)
In general, adding 2000 U/kg GOD to layer chicken feed increased egg production from 88% to 90% within 4 weeks of production. Egg weight increased from 60.8 to 61.4 gram/egg.
Adding 3000 u/Kg GOD to broiler chicken diets increased body weight gain by 3.44% and FCR was improved by 6 points.
A study compiled by our Redox Animal Nutritionists.
Currently most dogs are fed highly processed food that is quite different from canine ancestral diets. Sweeteners are quite often included in processed dog food to mask unpleasant taste or enhance the acceptance of the food.
In the recent years, due to health issues, numerous low-calorie sugar free sweeteners have been developed to replace sucrose. Table 1 shows relative sweetness, acceptable daily intake (ADI) of some of some sweeteners.
Table 1 The relative sweeteners and ADI (mg/kg body weight/day) of some sweeteners
It is noteworthy that xylitol will result in fatal reduction in blood glucose levels and the liver failure has been reported in dogs.
Stevia is a sugar substitute made from the leaves of the stevia plant. it is about 250 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose. However, some people complain it is bitter.
Neohesperidine Dihydrochalcone (NHDC) is a sensory sweetener derived from the hydrogenation of Neohesperidine, a flavanone which is found in the immature fruit of bitter oranges. It is about 1000-1800 times as sweet as sucrose. However, commercially available Sugarex containing 10% NHDC is about 150 times as sweet as sucrose and its recommended dosage rates in dog dry food is 50-150 g/MT.
More importantly, all those alternative sweeteners are not effective substrates for plaque bacteria and therefore less likely result in dental caries. However, it is noticed that approximately 50-88% dogs over three years of age have periodontal disease and adding 0.6% sodium hexametaphosphate significantly reduced the area covered by dental calculus. In cats, it is reported that adding 1.2% lactic acid in a maintenance food significantly inhibited oral substrate accumulation.
Adding NHDC to weaning piglets, calf and fish diets also significantly increase the feed intake of young animals.
Report by Redox Animal Nutritionists
It is well known that reduced protein diets in broiler chickens could lessen nitrogen excretion and environmental pollution. However, the successful strategy for broiler chicken production fed on reduced protein diets largely depends on both exact amino acids balance and sufficient quantity.
Currently ideal amino acids profile and absolute standardised ileal digestible lysine concentrations provide this recommendation on amino acids balance and quantity, respectively. In reduced protein diets, if any amino acid is deficient or limiting, ingestion of excess of other amino acids will result in accumulation of these amino acids in plasma, leading to the reduction in feed intake. Figure 1 clearly shows that when the reduced protein diet is deficient in Arginine, it will result in increased plasma lysine, methionine plus cysteine, threonine, Valine, and isoleucine concentrations, indicating these surplus essential amino acids could not be degraded for muscle growth.
Figure 1. The effect of Arginine deficiency on plasma amino acids concentration (log ug/ml)
Arginine is one of most versatile functional amino acids because it is a precursor of several molecules, such as creatine, ornithine, nitric oxide, citrulline, proline, and polyamines. Apart from protein synthesis, it can stimulate the release of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1.
Arginine also acts as a trigger of target of rapamycin (TOR) signalling system activation for reducing protein degradation. Supplementation of L-Arginine has been approved significantly increase Nitric oxide and reduce ascites related mortality.
In recent updated amino acids profile recommended by Aviagen breeder company, the SID Arginine to SID Lysine ratio has been increased significantly, up to 110% in the finisher period. A 42 days broiler chicken trial conducted in the University of Sydney clearly showed that when SID Arginine to Lysine ratio increased from 107% to 113%, plasma Lysine, methionine plus cysteine, and threonine concentrations were significantly reduced (Figure 2).
Increasing SID valine to Lysine ratio from 76% to 81%, SID isoleucine to lysine ratio from 69% to 73%, and SID Arginine to lysine ratio from 107 % to 113%, increased breast meat by 59 grams.
Figure 2. Plasma lysine, methionine plus cysteine, and threonine concentrations in response to dietary SID Arg/Lys ratios.
Report by Redox Animal Nutritionists
Taurine is a β-amino acid containing a sulfonate instead of a carboxylic group in α-amino acids. It is vital for organ development and aging but not for protein synthesis. Taurine is needed for membrane stabilization, has cytoprotective and cell volume regulation effects, and maintains calcium homeostasis and signalling.
Taurine deficiency impairs growth, fertility, triggers immune deficiency, muscle atrophy, and increased susceptibility of diseases, resulting in a pathological condition known as green liver in strictly marine species due to bile pigments accumulation. Under normal nutritional conditions, fish can produce taurine via methionine-cysteine metabolism pathway.
It is well known that a steady decline of fish meal inclusion levels in aqua cultural feeds has pushed higher inclusion levels of plant protein rich ingredients supplemented crystalline methionine. We assume that the higher level of dietary methionine supplementation might provide a sufficient taurine precursor to support growth rate in fish. However, Gaylord et al (2007) indicated dietary taurine supplementation was indeed beneficial fort rout fed all-plant protein diets, but supplementation of methionine above the requirement could not spare taurine.
Based on the control diet without supplemental methionine and taurine, taurine and methionine were supplemented at 0, 5, or 10 g/kg diet in a 3 x3 factorial design, respectively (figure 1).
Figure 1. 9 experimental diets in 3×3 factorial design.
The relative body weight gains in 9 dietary treatments were shown in Figure 2. There was no interaction (P > 0.05) between Taurine and methionine supplementation. Adding about extra 6.5 g/kg taurine could optimize Rainbow Trout body weight gain.
Figure 2. Relative body weight gain in response to taurine and methionine supplementation
A study compiled by our Redox Animal Nutritionists.
Gut health is important for weaning piglets, in particular when the high dosage of ZnO and antibiotics are removed from piglets feeds..
Apart from the dietary nutrients’ digestion and absorption, the gut is the largest immune organ in pigs and can be divided into four protection layers (Figure 1, Gao et al, 2020).
Figure 1. The different protective layers of the intestinal barrier
The commensal bacterial barrier is a complex environment playing a key role in maintaining the gut health; the chemical barrier consists of the mucus layer secreting mucins and antimicrobial peptides; the physical barrier is composed of epithelial cells and the immunological barrier harbouring the immune cells that secreted immune mediators such as cytokines and antibodies.
Traditionally bile acids are bio-surfactants, assisting intestinal digestion and absorption of lipids and fatty soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E and K, and thereby improving nutrient utilization. Recently, in the gut epithelial cell, bile acids are identified as signalling molecules to activate a couple of nuclear receptors, namely farnesoid X receptor (FXR), pregnane X receptor (PXR), Vitamin D receptor (VDR) and G-Protein coupled receptor (TGR5). Therefore, bile acids play an important role in regulating epithelial barrier functions.
In 2018, Ipharraguerre et al indicated that currently all alternatives including probiotics, prebiotics, organic acids, essential oils, antimicrobial and plants extracts to antibiotics or high dosage of ZnO underlined their growth promotion action. They demonstrated that either antibiotics or the high dosage of ZnO could activate bile acids receptors and consequently spare nutrients for growth and improve the metabolic efficiency of antibiotics or the high dosage of ZnO treated animals. Therefore, it is necessary for adding the exogenous bile acids to antibiotics free or the high dosage ZnO free diets in weaning piglets.
Based on experimental data in China, Belgium, adding 350 grams per MT feed commercially available exogenous bile acids could improve daily weight gain by 9% and FCR by 7 points.
Report by Redox Animal Nutritionists
Taurine is a β-amino acid containing a sulfonate instead of a carboxylic group in α-amino acids. It is vital for organ development and aging but not for protein synthesis. Taurine is needed for membrane stabilization, has cytoprotective and cell volume regulation effects, and maintains calcium homeostasis and signalling.
Aquatic feeds for farmed fish and shrimp are mainly made from protein rich ingredients such as fish meal, poultry by-product meal, soybean meal concentrate, yeast protein, pea protein concentrate, corn gluten meal and wheat gluten meal.
Historically fish meal has been the protein source of choice and currently there is no alternative to replace fish meal completely. It is probably since most alternative ingredients are deficient in one or more of the ten essential amino acids: lysine, methionine, threonine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, tryptophan, histidine, arginine, and phenylalanine. However, due to the high price and tight supply of fish meal, a steady decline of fish meal inclusion levels in aquacultural feeds has pushed higher inclusion levels of alternative protein rich ingredients supplemented crystalline essential amino acids.
Histidine is an integral component of a broad set of tissues including skin, bone, ligaments, and muscle. It also stimulates the digestive secretion of gastrin, a hormone that is essential for digestion of dietary protein. Histidine deficiency could induce a decrease in amino acids oxidation and a decrease protein turnover. For Atlantic salmon, it is reported that a minimum dietary histidine concentration of 1.4% is needed for the prevention of cataracts. Compared with fish meal, usually animal protein alternatives contain less histidine (Table 1). In Table 1, it is also clearly shown that using wheat gluten meal to replace soy protein concentrate might obtain similar histidine concentration but lower arginine concentration to that in fish meal.
Table 1 some essential amino acids in protein rich ingredients (%)
Histidine is an amino acid that has the most powerful impact on fish palatability and providing adequate levels of histidine is critically important for fish or shrimp growth. For shrimps, the dietary requirement of histidine is about 0.8%, corresponding to 2.2% dietary crude protein level. For Rainbow trout, the dietary requirement of histidine is about 0.6%, corresponding to 1.2% crude protein level. For Nile tilapia, the dietary requirement of histidine is about 1%, corresponding to 1.7% protein level. To prevent leaching of crystalline histidine, fish or shrimp diets can be bound with carboymethylcellulose, corn starch and K-carrageenan.
A study compiled by our Redox Animal Nutritionists.
Tannins are polyphenolic commands and the secondary metabolites of higher plants. Tannins are generally classified as condensed tannins, hydrolysed tannins and phlorotannins. Condensed tannins consist of flavan-3-ol subunit linked together to form oligomers and polymers, whereas hydrolysed tannins are easters of gallic or ellagic acid linked to polyol core.
Phlorotannins are structurally less complexed and occur only in marine brown algae. Because secondary metabolites serve as a part of plant chemical defence system against invasion by pathogens and attack by insects, tannins have shown antimicrobial, anti-parasitic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-virus properties. Recently it was reported that condensed tannins significantly reduced methane emission, but hydrolysed tannins failed to affect methane reduction. However, both condensed tannins and hydrolysed tannins reduced Nitrous Oxide emission.
Feedlot and pasture frothy bloat is a serious and often fatal digestive disorder that develops in cattle or sheep when gas produced during fermentation of feeds is trapped within the rumen in the stable form and prevent eructation. Moderate levels of condensed tannins (<50 g/kg DM) reduce protein degradation in the rumen without depressing rumen fibre digestion or DM feed intake. It is generally believed that condensed tannins may bind protein in the rumen and reduce foam stability by avoiding microbial degradation and be absorbed in the small intestine.
Tannins exert their anti-parasitic effect by decreasing the viability of larvae, thus interfering with egg hatching, and improving the immunity (Table 1). Some tree bark is rich in plant second metabolites, especially condensed tannins.
Recently it was demonstrated that the tree bark-stripping behaviour is primarily for ruminants to acquire condensed tannins to repel gastrointestinal parasites.
Table 1 Effect of grazing condensed tannins forages and control forages on parasite state.
A study compiled by our Redox Animal Nutritionists.
In recent years, it is widely accepted that based on an ideal amino acid profile, a moderate reduction of dietary crude protein (CP), 20 to 30 g/kg, will not compromise broiler chicken performance.
These reduced CP levels are usually achieved by increasing feed grains such as wheat inclusion at the expense of soybean meal, relatively more starch replacing fat as the non-protein energy source. It is reported that increased non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) presented in wheat will enhance faecal bile acids loss, resulting in either increased bile acids pool or bile acids deficiency.
Traditionally bile acids are considered to be bio-surfactants, assisting intestinal digestion and absorption of lipids and fatty soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E and K, and thereby improving nutrient utilization. Recently it has been shown that bile acids act as regulators of gut microbiome and play a key role as signalling molecules by modulating cell proliferation, gene expression, lipid and glucose metabolism. To evaluate if the reduced CP diet could affect fat digestibility, the University of Sydney conducted a broiler chicken trial by adding the exogenous bile acids to both normal CP and reduced CP diets.
Standard, normal protein (SC) diets were formulated to meet or exceed the 2019 Aviagen Ross 308 nutrition specifications and reduced protein (RC) diets were formulated with a 3 g/kg CP reduction in the starter (0-14 d), grower (15-28) and finisher (29-42) phases. Another two treatments consisted of the SC and RC supplemented with the exogenous bile acids 200 mg/kg, respectively. All diets contained 1000 FTU phytase and 4000 U Xylanase.
Surprisingly, reducing 30 g/kg CP significantly depressed body weight gain and feed intake by 4.8 % and 2.8%, respectively (P < 0.01) although chicken performance fed on RP diets exceeded the Ross 2022 male performance objectives by 4.31% for weight gain (3361versus 3222 g) and was superior by 2.76% in FCR (1.475 versus 1.517). Figure 1 clearly showed that the current ideal amino acids profile resulted in significant lower plasma Valine, Isoleucine, Arginine, Leucine, tryptophan and histidine concentrations in RP diets, indicating that the current ideal amino acids profile could not support 30 g/kg CP reduction although it might achieve commercially satisfied performance.
Figure 1. Plasma AA concentrations in response to normal and reduced CP diets (log µg/ml)
Interestingly, the addition of the exogenous bile acids had no effect on crude fat digestibility but significantly improved crude protein and dry matter digestibility (Table 1) possibly due to reduced endogenous bile taurine loss. In Table 1, it is also shown that adding bile acids to the RP diet, significantly reduced mortality rate (P < 0.003).
Table 1. The effect of dietary treatments on the mortality and digestibility of fat, CP and dry matter (%)
In RP diets, due to other amino acids such as valine, isoleucine and arginine limitation, dietary methionine becomes more surplus but adding bile acids significantly increased plasma methionine concentration (Figure 2). Therefore, the efficacy of bile acids may be related to dietary methionine concentration which could convert to taurine. In general, in grower period (15-28), adding the exogenous bile acids to a RP diet achieved the best chicken performance and FCR was improved by 5 points (Table 2).
Figure 2. Plasma Methionine concentration in response to dietary protein and bile acids addition (µg/mL)
Table 2. The effect of dietary protein levels and bile acids on growth performance (15-28 days)
A study compiled by our Redox Animal Nutritionists.
In recent years, the poultry and pig industry has been successfully developing reduced crude protein (CP) diets to reduce Nitrogen pollution and improve the litter quality. It is reported that 2.5%-unit crude protein reduction in poultry or pig diets will reduce ammonia by 25%. Considering 1 MT ammonia is equivalent to 2.11 MT carbon dioxide, this trend will have a tremendous impact on climate change. However, nutritionists need to do more to deal with reduced protein diets.
1. Reduced protein diets and limiting amino acids (AA)
Traditionally, in wheat-soybean meal-based poultry diets, unbound crystalline L-methionine, L-Lysine and L-Threonine have been routinely added to meet chicken growth requirements. It is clear now that by further adding L-Valine, L-Isoleucine and L-Arginine, the crude protein level could be reduced by 1.5 to 2% unit but not compromise chicken performance. It is noticed that in reduced protein diets, dietary valine or arginine deficiency will result in plasma Lysine, Methionine and Threonine accumulation; Dietary isoleucine deficiency will result in plasma methionine and threonine surplus, indicating that in reduced protein diets, if L-Valine, L-isoleucine and L-Arginine were not added, dietary lysine, methionine and threonine cannot be fully utilized by chickens to contribute to muscle growth. In particular, dietary Arginine deficiency resulted in a considerable surplus of threonine, affecting mucus secretion. (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Plasma AA concentrations in response to dietary AA deficiency
2. Optimal SID Lysine (g/kg) to AME (MJ/kg) ratio in reduced protein diets
While formulating a reduced protein diet, nutritionists will usually use more grains and reduce oil or fat contents. Considering the higher energy efficiency of oil or fat, it is not clear yet if we need to increase apparent metabolizable energy (AME) requirement in reduced protein diets. However, in 2018, the University of New England (UNE) published a broiler chicken trial paper to show that AME requirement might mainly depend on dietary lysine concentration. In grower period, the optimal SID lysine (g/kg) to AME (MJ/kg) was determined to be 0.88 (Figure 2).
Figure 2 Body weight gain in response to SID Lys/AME ratio on 14-35 days
3. Endogenous loss of taurine in reduced protein diets
It is noticed that in reduced protein diets, more starch will replace fat as the dietary non-protein energy source, leading to more faecal bile acids loss. Recently, the research in Massey University demonstrated that the major endogenous amino acid loss in broiler chicken bile would be taurine. Considering taurine is an important anti-oxidant to regulate immune system health, in stress situation, the reduced protein diet might result in disease infection. It is widely known that taurine is produced by cysteine in chicken body and dietary methionine can convert to cysteine. In a recent broiler chicken trial conducted in the University of Sydney, adding exogenous bile acids to the reduced protein diets significantly reduced mortality rate due probably to increased plasma methionine concentration (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Plasma methionine concentration in response to bile acids addition
4. Reduced protein diets by exogenous protease supplements
To some degree, in reduced protein diets, dietary protein levels are determined by dietary standard ileal digestible (SID) lysine concentrations because other SID essential amino acids to SID lysine ratios are used in ideal amino acids profile. It is estimated that 5% SID lysine reduction will reduce dietary crude protein by 1% unit. In practice, the efficacy of protease is mainly determined by undigested protein concentration in feed ingredients. Usually when SID lysine (%) to undigested protein (%) ratio is lower than 0.3, dietary SID lysine and other essential amino acids could be reduced by 5% (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Bodyweight gain in male Ross 308 broilers from 22-35 days post-hatch (P = 0.061).
5. Phosphorus and phytase in reduced protein diets
In reduced protein diets, soybean meal and other protein ingredients will be partially replaced by grains and crystalline amino acids. Phytate phosphorus and available phosphorus variation in feed ingredients (Table 1) may increase inorganic phosphorus usage. We also need to reconsider phosphorus matrix value in phytase and absorption rate in inorganic phosphorus (Table 2). In table 1, it is clearly show that in sorghum-based diets, the matrix value of phosphorus in phytase may be higher than that in wheat-based diets, but it will be lower in reduced protein diets because of lower inclusion levels of soybean meal. In table 2, it is shown that when formulating reduced protein diets, both inorganic phosphorus contents and their bioavailability should be considered. In general, inorganic phosphorus bioavailability is strongly related to citric acid solubility and current DCP and MDCP practical bioavailability could be predicted by citric acid solubility.
Table 1. Total P and available P in feed ingredients (%)
Table 2. Phosphorus bioavailability from different sources
6. Nucleotide supplements in reduced protein diets
In reduced protein diets, almost all essential amino acids requirements could be met by adding crystalline amino acids. The reduced protein contents mainly come from non-essential amino acids concentration including glutamine and aspartic acids, which are precursors to produce nucleotides in the chicken body. In cocci vaccination and high-stock density stress situation, this exogenous production of nucleotides might not be sufficient to support a healthy immune system. Table 3 clearly shows that in Eimeria challenging situation, adding Nucleotides (IMP) significantly alleviate the challenging impact on chicken body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR)
Table 3. Effect of Nucleotides on chicken performance at d 11-15 after challenging
7. Gut health concern in reduced protein diets
In Australia and USA, coccidiostats are considered as antibiotics and are banned in antibiotics free production. Currently in breeder and claimed antibiotics free chicken production, Eimeria vaccination has been widely practiced controlling cocci infection. However, broiler chicken feed intake is sufficiently reduced by the vaccination challenging dose and each double dose will worsen FCR by 9 points (Figure 5). Some new gut health related feed additives are necessary in reduced protein diets for young animals to fight against disease challenging.
Figure 5. Feed intake in response to graded dose Eimeria vaccination challenging
- Mannanase: Β-Mannan in soybean meal is one of the main antinational factors to decrease the efficiency of nutrient use. Supplementation of the exogenous mannanase has been demonstrated to increase chicken feed intake, significantly reduce coccidial lesion sores and increase breast production. Dietary AME can be saved by 50 kcal/kg due to reduced immune response sensitivity. The efficacy of Mannanase addition is strongly related to soybean meal inclusion levels and optimal crude fiber (%) to SID Lysine ratio is about 1.45 for Mannase response.
- Glucose oxidase: Cell-mediated immunity is thought to be important in the resistance of chickens to infection by coccidia. It has been demonstrated that sporozoites of Eimeria tenella are very sensitive to superoxide ions. Adding exogenous glucose oxidase to reduced protein diets could consume surplus oxygen and increase the shelf life of diets. More importantly, it can endogenously produce hydrogen peroxide to directly kill Eimeria and improve gut health. The heat tolerable glucose oxidase is commercially available now.
- Antimicrobial peptide: Previously it targets Gram negative bacteria such as E coli and Salmonella. Right now, new product is available to protect from Gram positive and negative bacteria infection including colostrum perfringens. Usually, Gram positive bacteria are acids resistance and organic acids are useless in Gram positive bacterial infection.
- Postbiotics: different from traditional probiotics, this postbiotics also includes metabolites from probiotics such as peptides, lipoprotein and bacteriocins, more widely building up the first defense line
- Tri-butyrin: it will promote the overall gut health by facilitating tight junction assembly.
8. Other concerns regarding to reduced protein diets
In reduced protein diets, feed grains such as wheat inclusions will usually increase at the expense of soybean meal. The current supplemental dosage of xylanase needs to be increased to completely degrade soluble Xylan in wheat and reduced viscosity.
In addition, compared with wheat, soybean meal contains more potassium and choline (Table 4). Therefore, extra potassium bicarbonate or potassium chloride and choline chloride may be increased in reduced protein diets.
Table 4. Potassium and choline concentration in feed ingredients (%)
A study compiled by Redox Animal Nutritionists.
Not long after, French chemist Nicolas Leblanc produced sodium carbonate in 1791; pharmacist Valentin Rose the Younger discovered Sodium Bicarbonate in 1801. Neither Leblanc nor Younger could have imagined their discoveries’ impact on future generations.
How is it made, or where do we find it?
Sodium Bicarbonate is generally synthetically manufactured using the Solvay or the Trona Process.
The Solvay process is an industrial method used to produce Sodium Bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda. The Solvay process is the reaction of Sodium Chloride, ammonia, and carbon dioxide in water.
Alternatively, the Trona process converts naturally formed/mined soda ash into bicarb.
However, it can also be found naturally occurring in evaporated lake basins worldwide. The largest commercially viable source is Natural Soda in Colorado, USA, which has full organic certification.
Different uses of Sodium Bicarbonate in the food & beverage industry
The flexibility of Sodium Bicarbonate is an undeniable asset for many industries, none more so than the food and beverage industry.
In baked goods, it acts as a leavening agent that produces carbon dioxide when combined with an acidic ingredient such as vinegar or lemon juice. This causes the dough to rise, creating lighter and fluffier baked goods like cakes and muffins. Not only that, Sodium Bicarbonate can also be used to make carbonated beverages like sodas and sparkling waters by dissolving it into water.
The dissolved sodium bicarbonate can then be added to other ingredients like flavourings, syrups, and colourings to create a refreshingly fizzy drink.
Lastly, Sodium Bicarbonate can also be used to tenderise meats for marinades or sauces, as its alkaline nature helps break down tough fibres in the meat’s muscles.
Sodium Bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda, is a popular baking ingredient. It gives foods like bread, cakes, muffins, and cookies a light, fluffy texture.
Sodium Bicarbonate’s application in animal feed
Sodium bicarbonate is a vital ingredient in animal feed due to its numerous benefits.
It serves as an excellent source of electrolytes essential for healthy bodily functions. It also helps to maintain proper pH levels in the body, which improves digestion and increases nutrient uptake.
In addition, Sodium Bicarbonate can help reduce the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles, allowing animals to perform better during strenuous activity. Besides that, it can also act as a buffer against digestive upsets such as acidosis and scours and protect against microbial toxins.
All these benefits make Sodium Bicarbonate an essential ingredient in animal feed for optimum health and performance.
But its utility goes beyond the Food and Feed industries. For example:
- It’s commonly used in water treatment and swimming pools for pH adjustment.
- Being an alkali, it assists in removing stains in cleaning and is used in laundry and dish detergents.
- Bicarb is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture and hence odours.
- Finely powdered bicarb is injected into industrial exhaust stacks to de-sulphurise flue gas before it can escape into the atmosphere.
- Mix it with a bit of water to make a paste, and it relieves insect bites on your skin.
- Calms indigestion and heartburn.
- It’s the abrasive in toothpaste (also helps to remove odours in your breath).
How can we help you?
In 2022, despite the unprecedented supply chain hurdles of a global pandemic, Redox successfully distributed Sodium Bicarbonate across Australia and New Zealand to meet growing demands in both countries and Malaysia.
Redox’s Sodium Bicarbonate is available in various packing sizes, including 25kg bags and bulker bags, coming in a range of food, feed and industrial grades and conforming to FAMI-QS and Food Safety Regulation.
Contact one of our experts to discover how Redox can be essential to your sourcing strategy.
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