Danisco research highlights benefit of E. coli phytase in animal nutrition

Danisco Animal Nutrition announced new research in understanding the antinutrient effect of phytate in animal nutrition, which can reduce feed costs for pig and poultry producers. The research from Danisco is published in the Analytical Biochemistry journal.
Danisco says phytate acts as an antinutrient in the diet by binding to dietary protein-forming phytate-protein complexes and trapping nutrients. Phytases derived from E. coli were found to be significantly better at breaking down these phytate-protein complexes than fungal phytases, according to Danisco's research. Of all the phytase tested as part of the research, Danisco says its Phyzyme XP showed the greatest efficacy and the more it was included, the faster the breakdown occurred, resulting in greater energy and amino acid release. 
“Phytate-protein complexes occur naturally in the upper digestive tract of animals," said Peter Plumstead, of Danisco Animal Nutrition. "The investigation confirmed that under pH and temperature conditions close to those found in the upper part of the animal’s digestive tract, E. coliphytases showed higher activity in breaking down phytate-protein complexes.”