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Formaldehyde in feed processing
Producing safe, nutritious, high-quality feed is top of mind for every feed processor. But how can processors balance feed quality with cost as new situations and challenges arise?
BY DR PRINCE NANDA AND JEFFREY HUIJSMANS, TROUW NUTRITION C
Figure 1. Mould development on day 13 after treatment with commercial in- clusion rates (left: formalde- hyde 3kg/t, right: Fylax Forte-HC liquid 5kg/t)
ontinuous monitoring and adaptive approaches are essential, as more countries are reducing the use of antibiotics in livestock production. Rising market demand for effective antimicrobial measures to pre-
vent feed from being a source of contamination requires flex- ibility and innovation. Alternative treatments to promote feed safety without using antimicrobials have received in- creased interest from researchers and commercial producers. Most of the focus is on food safety aspects, particularly on re- ducing the incidence of food-borne pathogens in livestock. Multiple solutions are being investigated continuously, in- cluding the use of formaldehyde, which has historically been used to inhibit Salmonella in feed during processing. Formal- dehyde’s association with several concerns discussed below has inspired Trouw Nutrition to develop alternative strategies for reducing feed contamination risk.
Formaldehyde and human health risks The European Union has banned formaldehyde as a feed hy- giene enhancer since 2018 due to significant health concerns. Scientific research showed that formaldehyde is carcinogenic as a reuslt of inhalation and lower local concentrations are
Formaldehyde’s impact on animal performance Scientific research shows that formaldehyde can react with groups of amino acids, including lysine. The reaction with lysine may explain why formaldehyde reduces the total amount of available lysine and alters protein utilisation, ulti- mately reducing growth rates. Studies done in various spe- cies suggest that formaldehyde affects growth performance through feed’s nutritive content as well as by affecting the microbial community within the feed. A study on nursery pigs* showed that treating diets with formaldehyde re- duced their growth rate. While formaldehyde reduced bac- terial concentration levels in feed, it also altered faecal mi- crobial communities. This tells us that strategies to control pathogens in feed need to take into account the potential negative impact a strategy may have on gut microflora. An- other study also provided evidence that the inclusion of for- maldehyde has a negative impact on growth performance. The use of the chemical reduced the incidence of Lactobacil- laceae species, but increased that of Clostridiaceae species. This is a clear indicator that pathogen control in feed needs to be carefully balanced to prevent potential adverse effects on gut microbial populations. Studies done in poultry broil- ers have shown similar influences on animal performance when compound feed was treated with formaldehyde, where even lower inclusion levels of formaldehyde led to negative impacts on average daily weight gain and feed to gain ratio*.
Effective strategies for replacing formaldehyde Although formaldehyde use is still permitted in large areas of the world, leading feed and animal producing companies are looking at strategies to improve worker safety and support an- imal performance. Though organic acid blends seem like an obvious and easy-to-implement choice, several factors should
12 ▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 29, No. 3, 2021
known to produce DNA adducts, which can initiate carcino- genesis. In a meta-analysis* reviewing 18 retrospective hu- man studies, inhalation exposure to formaldehyde led to in- creased risks of spontaneous abortion and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. No safe level of formaldehyde was identified.
PHOTO: TROUW NUTRITION
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