May 3, 2005
Impextraco helps you to achieve food safety
It is estimated that by 2050, the number of people on earth would have increased to nine billion and Asia would have a major contribution in this growth. Therefore, the challenges faced today by meat, milk and egg producers would become hot topics. To meet the demand, they must be able to produce large volumes of food. At the same time, the consumer expects low prices and a good quality. Food safety is also a clear expectation. It includes different issues such as [1] a food with a good hygiene; [2] healthy animals raised in proper conditions; [3] the reduction of use of antibiotics and other medicinal products traditionally used on the farm, because of possible resistance of pathogens; and [4] a reduced impact of animal production on environment.
The major cost of production in animal husbandry is the feed. To ensure that the farm generates profits, feed must provide an adequate supply of nutrients at the lowest cost. A good knowledge of the different raw materials and their nutritional characteristics allows optimisation of the feed formula. The digestibility of nutrients can be enhanced by the addition of different enzymes. Feed additives such as mould inhibitors and antioxidants can be used to preserve the feed quality. Feed must also be free from pathogens and control the flora of the digestive tract to optimise digestion and prevent enteric diseases. This can be mainly achieved thanks to the use of combinations of acids and salts. Furthermore, feed must help in maintaining an efficient immune system to prevent loss of production related with various diseases. A good example is the addition of mycotoxin binders and deactivators to protect the animal from the devastating consequences of mycotoxicoses. Together, all these feed additives contribute to food safety by optimising the feed quality and efficacy.
Based in Belgium, IMPEXTRACO is a leading European company dedicated to the production and distribution of feed additives designed to achieve these goals. This document would describe the innovative solutions proposed by IMPEXTRACO.
Antioxidants, such as FEEDOX®, the synergistic antioxidative combination, are very important under Asian conditions. Oxidation would damage the quality and reduce the digestibility of fats and oils used to bring energy in the diet. This naturally-occurring process is promoted by climates with high temperature and humidity. Antioxidants protect the feed from oxidation processes and ensure a good conservation of raw materials or feed. They prevent loss of performance (reduced growth, increased feed conversion ratio) resulting from the consumption of feeds containing oxidised fats. They also limit the degradation of vitamins in feed and avoid a number of diseases related with vitamin deficiencies. Ultimately, by preventing off-odours in meat or reduced pigmentation in eggs and meat, they avoid loss of market acceptance, resulting in higher revenue for the producer. While almost all other antioxidants available on the market are blends of different components in a powder form, FEEDOX® Dry is different. It is produced with a unique process which ensures that micro particles, containing all components of the original synergistic liquid combination, are obtained. The proportion of components in FEEDOX ® Dry is identical from one particle to another. The product is homogeneous and the synergistic effect is on every particle. The other advantage is that dispersion in the feed is optimised. As a result, dosage can be reduced and cost is lower.
The formation of moulds is another major concern in hot and humid climates. This would lead to a loss in the nutritive value and palatability of the feed. When animals are fed with mould-contaminated diets, feed intake is reduced and feed waste increases, resulting in poor performances and an increased feed conversion ratio. The growth is slower and the time to market is longer, which significantly increases costs for the producer. Moulds can also produce mycotoxins and favour the onset of various related diseases. When dealing with moulds, prevention is the keyword. MOLDSTOP® is a wide range of powerful mould inhibitors, both in liquid and powder forms. Due to IMPEXTRACO's extensive know-how, we have been able to select the correct ingredients as well as their concentrations to ensure that MOLDSTOP® effectively protects feeds from the formation of moulds and their toxins, but also yeasts and a variety of bacteria. The innovative aspect of MOLDSTOP® is that it is not just another combination of different organic and inorganic acids. It also includes a selection of different ethereal oils and emulsifiers, which have shown antibacterial and mould inhibiting properties. The other advantage is that MOLDSTOP® not only works efficiently, but brings a positive smell which encourages feed intake.
The use of acidifiers is now recognised as an effective way to positively direct the digestive process of fast-growing animals. The best example is probably the case of piglets. At weaning, these young animals have to switch from the sow's milk to a dry diet with a different composition. Because the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is reduced following the stress of weaning, the value of pH raises and feed is not properly digested. Indeed, digestive enzymes such as pepsin, the enzyme responsible for digestion of proteins in the stomach, require a low pH value to work efficiently. Ultimately, when pH is too high and the feed not correctly digested, pathogenic bacteria would proliferate and lead to diarrhoea. ACIDAL® is a combination of different acidifiers with some emulsifiers and natural extracts. This range contains different products based on the objective and the requirements of the producer. Some acids would lower the pH in the digestive tract, while others, called organic acids, also have the capacity to enter the cell of pathogenic bacteria in the non-dissociated form. Once inside the cell, they would be exposed to the near neutral intracellular pH of the bacteria and dissociate, liberating an anion (A-) and a proton (H+) in the cytoplasm. The internal pH would decrease and because these bacteria do not tolerate a big difference between the internal and the external pH, they would act to bring the pH inside the cell to a normal level. This would consume energy and eventually can stop the growth of the bacteria or even kill them. Since Salmonella is one of the most challenging bacteria in animal production, a specific product called SALSTOP® has been designed to tackle this problem.
Mycotoxins are toxins produced by fungi before or after harvest, or during storage. Most of the mycotoxins are very stable and can resist to changes in temperatures or to storage and processing conditions. Therefore, they can be found in feeds or foods produced with contaminated raw materials. Some mycotoxins ingested by animals, or their derivatives, can even be transferred to meat, milk or eggs and could contaminate the people eating these products. In Asia, due to unfavorable conditions, the growth of fungi is very difficult to control and many commodities or feeds are contaminated. Mycotoxins would induce a large variety of diseases called mycotoxicoses. In general, mycotoxins lower the resistance to diseases, increase the sensitivity of animals to stress and affect organs such as liver (e.g. aflatoxins), kidney (e.g. ochratoxins), lungs or even brain (e.g. fumonisins). In the case of zearalenone, they can also seriously affect reproductive performance of animals. When mycotoxins are combined, as it is usually the case, they would have a much more damaging effect than if they are taken separately. Different methods have been tested to get rid of mycotoxins. When possible, prevention is the most effective strategy. But once the raw material is contaminated, it is very difficult to remove the mycotoxin. The solution offered by IMPEXTRACO is called ELITOX®. Since there is not a single solution against the different mycotoxins, ELITOX®, the five star mycotoxin eliminator, combines different strategies. It is based on toxin-degrading enzymes, toxin-binding natural biopolymers, and toxin binders of mineral origin. Additionally, natural extracts and vitamins are used to reduce the stress-related symptoms.
Last but not least, IMPEXTRACO proposes to the feed industry a range of efficient feed enzymes called ZYMPEX®. Enzymes are biocatalysts, which means that they speed up chemical reactions. The feed is better digested, reducing the cost of production. Specially designed to increase the digestibility of corn-soya diets, ZYMPEX® 008 is the formula of choice when it comes to Asian conditions. Enzymes also allow the use of greater quantities of cheaper raw materials in the feed formula, which improves the profitability of the farm. They also contribute to food safety. For example, when improving digestion they contribute to reducing the wastes in the environment. This is particularly true in the case of ZYMPEX® P 5000, a dry phytase, which improves digestibility of phosphorus in diets. Other enzymes such as Non-Starch Polysaccharides degrading enzymes (ZYMPEX® 006 or ZYMPEX® 007) would help in reducing not only the volume, but also the stickiness of manure. This is very important in poultry production, to reduce the problems associated with contaminated eggs or carcasses.
In conclusion, IMPEXTRACO is your partner of choice when looking for successful solutions to achieve food safety without compromising on the economical aspects. Because we produce ourselves our feed additives, we can guarantee their quality and continuous improvement on the long term. Our network of distributors all over Asia ensures that the meat or eggs reaching your plate have been produced according to the highest standards.
