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FEED ADDITIVES ▶▶▶


Medium-chain fatty acids and their derivatives: New potential for gut wellness


The industry is investigating different kind of alternatives for the use of antibiotics. Among these promising alternatives are medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and their derivatives. Studies showed that animals microbiota could be improved by adding MCFAs to an animal’s diet.


BY EUNICE LEE, TECHNICAL CONSULTANT, PANCOSMA A


ntibiotic growth promoters, or AGPs, have driven high productivity and efficiency in modern live- stock production by successfully targeting a cer- tain spectrum of bacteria. However, high depend-


ency on AGPs generates major disease control risks for both livestock and human health. Since the 2006 European Union AGP ban, withdrawing AGP from routine production and find- ing alternatives has become a target for sustainable industry development worldwide. AGP withdrawal significantly in- creases the incidence of certain diseases, dramatically influ- encing animal growth performance and efficiency. Today, researching optimal alternatives is an industry priority. Many different feed additives such as probiotics, prebiotics, plant extracts, yeasts, and organic acids have been studied as part of the feed additive alternative program. Within organic acids, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and their derivatives are known for their strong antimicrobial properties, especially against gram-positive bacteria. MCFAs, which are saturated carboxylic acids, from C6


to C12 , are found in coconut oil and


palm kernel oil in the form of triglycerides. Since many prod- ucts containing MCFAs and their derivatives are available on the market, extensive studies have been carried out to assess the real benefits to animals. A study showed that sow excreta microbiota could be improved − thus improving piglet per- formance − by adding a blend of organic acids and MCFAs to a sow’s diet. Similarly, another study demonstrated that sup- plementation with these blends has positive effects on the faecal microbiota composition, immune response and growth performance of broilers.


Fatty acid vs monoglyceride The antimicrobial activity of MCFAs has been studied


10 ▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 29, No. 7, 2021


extensively since was it was first discovered in human breast milk. Although the components in breast milk are not natu- rally antimicrobial, once the triglycerides in milk are digested in the gastrointestinal tract, they free fatty acids and mono- glycerides, generating antimicrobial activity. MCFAs have been widely studied in the form of free fatty acids and mono- glycerides to determine their antibacterial activities in vitro. Lauric acid (LA) is considered a potent MCFA with multiple antimicrobial (including antibacterial, antifungal and anti- viral) activities. The most commonly-known antimicrobial mode of action of MCFAs and their derivatives is disrupting the bacterial cell membrane, thus inhibiting bacterial growth. The glycerol backbone in monoglyceride lauric acid (GML) appears to grant stronger hydrophilic properties than its fatty acid form which shows a lower minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) against some gram-positive bacteria in vitro, such as Streptococcus. However, this is not the case for every gram-positive bacteria. This same study shows that LA and GML have an equal inhibition concentration of C. diphte- riae, while LA has a stronger inhibitory activity against L. monocytogenes (both C. diphteriae and L. monocytogenes are gram-positive bacteria that cause disease in humans). Another study found that GML and LA have identical inhibi- tory activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Lauric acid is thought to be partially responsible for the inhibitory activity of GML against S. aures. They also found that similar concen- trations of LA and GML suppress the induction of β-lactama- se activity and block the expression of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) from S. aureus. Furthermore, LA and GML appear to produce a synergistic effect against Streptococcus pyogenes at different mixture ratios: the combination exhib- its stronger inhibitory activities than either single ingredient (LA:GML=2:1, MIC: 20µg/ml; LA, MIC: 120µg/ml; GML, MIC: 30µg/ml). Both LA and GML demonstrate anti-viral properties against different enveloped viruses.


Mitigating pathogens in feed Based on in vitro antimicrobial findings, we can use organic acids as feed preservatives, and also as the first barrier for pathogen infection via the oral route. Feed biosecurity awareness has grown steadily in recent years. Studies show that while animal by-product feed ma ter ials represent a major viral transmission risk, so do


PHOTO: BERT JANSEN


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