January 28, 2016

Nutraferma launches pelletable probiotic at IPPE

Nutraferma has introduced LactoPlan™ at IPPE in Atlanta, Georgia, a "ground-breaking" heat-stable and shelf-stable Lactobacillus plantarum that can be pelleted into feed and maintain high cell counts after extended periods of storage.

"A Lactobacillus that can be pelleted into feed changes everything," according to Nutraferma nutritionist Dr. Jason Sewell Ph. D., who added that the new product "is a real breakthrough." 

Lactobacillus species are a common lactic-acid bacterium that work antagonistically toward pathogens while supporting nutrient utilisation. Supplementation in animal diets has not been preferred since the instability of this bacterium posed a problem to its use in pelleted feed.

LactoPlan, however, is said to be unique because it is able to withstand pelleting temperatures of up to 95 degree Celsius and maintain guaranteed cell counts for up to one year of storage.

"Before this breakthrough, the feed industry was limited to spore forming bacterium such as Bacillus," said Eric Lohry, president of Nutraferma. "With LactoPlan, we are able to utilise a Lactobacillus that can be included in pelleted feed."

As a lactic-acid producing bacteria (unlike Bacillus bacteria), LactoPlan works antagonistically towards pathogens and creates an environment that supports a healthy balance of microflora. Lactic-acid producing bacteria have been shown to colonise in the mucous membranes within the gut. This restricts the ability of some pathogens to bond with that membrane. Live lactic-acid producing bacteria also provide the benefits of lowered pH from increased lactic-acid content in both the feed product and the animal's gut. Lowered pH helps to create an environment that promotes a healthy balance of microflora. 

Recent research at Virginia Tech University indicates that when broilers challenged with avian E. Coli were fed LactoPlan they were able to reduce mortalities when compared to a commercial antibiotic. The use of LactoPlan at an inclusion rate of just 0.1% of the diet reduced mortality by 71% over challenged birds and 40% over birds on an antibiotic treatment.

Further studies have been conducted on swine with positive results. "Numerous research studies have shown that the supplementation of a Lactobacillus DFM (direct-fed microbial) has been proven to have a beneficial impact on animal health," according to Sewell.

The heat-stable and shelf-stable characteristics of LactoPlan come from its unique manufacturing process. The specific strain of Lactobacillus plantarum in LactoPlan is manufactured by solid-state fermentation on a feed grain substrate which tends to be heartier than those grown on artificial substrates. The microbe is then acclimated to utilise nutrients that are commonly found in diets. LactoPlan also retains lactic-acid and other metabolites created during fermentation.