Efficiency of phytic acid in pig and poultry feeds: Determining phytase-to-phosphorus ratios

摘要

Phytic acid is the main storage form of phosphorus in plants. When in salt form, it is called phytate, and more specifically phytin if it is a calcium or magnesium salt. Pigs and poultry cannot utilize the phosphorus bound in phytic acid because theylack the necessary enzyme (phytase) to digest this compound and its phytate salt. In addition, due to its chelating properties, phytic acid binds other minerals in the gut: calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc.In brief, phytic acid in plant-derived feed ingredients is an undesirable component that not only renders phosphorus useless, but it also reduces availability of other minerals in the feed.