December 10, 2012

Nutriad's APEX^®5 improves poultry performance with Quorum Sensing technology

Nutriad's APEX^® line's new addition of APEX^®5 is key to disrupting communication between harmful bacteria. This reduces the potential harmful effects of bacteria, improves intestinal health and increases poultry performance more efficiently.

APEX^® originally contains a specific mix of botanical components with antibacterial properties that have the ability to improve the performance of poultry. Nutriad has discovered how to select new active working botanical components for APEX^®, using the Quorum Sensing (QS) Technology in collaboration with the University of Ghent, Belgium.

QS is a form of molecular communication used by bacterial populations to coordinate their biochemical activity, such as the production of virulence factors. Some botanical components disrupt the molecular communication between bacteria more than others.

Nutriad relies on the Quorum Sensing (QS) Technology of the University of Ghent. This technology measures the communication between bacteria. The University monitors bacteria that produce a fluorescent signal during QS signalling. Different components are administered to the bacteria. A decrease in fluorescence then indicates the (potentially pathogenic) communication between the bacteria is disrupted.

After screening several phytochemicals, Nutriad has identified the optimal composition of the new APEX^® product: in these in vitro assays, APEX^®5 was able to shut down QS signaling almost completely (> 99%) at concentrations far below the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration. In addition, field trials in Germany on 180,000 Ross 308 broilers show they are healthier and grow better.

Nutriad, with its headquarters in Belgium, delivers additives for ruminants, pigs, poultry, pets and aqua over 80 countries worldwide today, supported by 4 application laboratories and 5 manufacturing facilities that are located in 3 continents.