Acidifiers

Definition
Acidifiers are organic or inorganic chemical that either produce or become acid. These chemicals increase the level of gastric acid in the stomach when ingested, thus decreasing the stomach pH level.

other alternative feed additives are being adopted in order to fill the gap from the antibiotics.

Introduction
The use of anbiotics at intensive animal production, not only intended as therapeutics but also as common additives of continuous use in animal feeding started approximately 50 years ago. During decades these treatments were maintained as they exerted a positive effect, not only as a prevention of enteric infections, but also allowing an improved feed utilization. One of the most important benefits of this antibiotic use, is the decrease of microbial intestinal fermentation. It is known that this intestinal fermentation reduces the nutritive value of the feed considering, in addition, the risk of endotoxin formation.

Before arriving to the year 2000, the animal food industry has been obliged to abandon the use of these antibiotics and look for alternatives to accomplish the new food regulations, that each time are more severe, in benefit of human health, however the animal production yield became seriously affected.

Classification according to medical uses:

Gastric acidifiers. Urinary acidifiers. Systemic acidifiers.

according to application :
feed. water.

Benefits
A Solution for Antibiotic-Free Feeding of food animals. Acidifiers can be part of the feeding concept to replace antibiotic growth promoters. Control the growth of pathogenic microorganisms both in the feed and in the animal digestive tract. Control the mycotoxins both in feed and in the animal digestive tract . Feed preservation , protecting feed from microbial and fungal destruction.

The addition of the balanced acidifier product, containing an organic acid blend based on an inorganic carrier, increases in the absence of anti-biotic growth promoters the performance of broiler chicken. ( FCR)

Role of acidifiers in feed hygiene

Under favourable conditions such microbes multiply rapidly during storage, especially at higher moisture levels )%14>(in a warm environment. Acidifiers function as conserving agents by reducing the pH of the feed, and thereby inhibiting microbial growth and thus lower the uptake of possibly pathogenic organisms and their toxic metabolites by the farmed animals.

Role of acidifiers in intestinal tract

Involves two different ways: Reduce the pH-level in the stomach and particularly in the small intestine. Inhibit growth of gram negative bacteria through the dissociation of the acids and production of anions in the bacterial cells. Decrease absorption of mycotoxins in GIT.

HOW ?

During periods of high feed intake such as when the animals are young, or when the feeds are high in protein, free hydrochloric acid levels in the stomach are reduced. This reduction negatively impacts pepsin activation and pancreatic enzyme secretion and impairs digestion .

providing acidifiers in the feed tackles this problem and aid in feed digestion.

lower duodenal pH, improved nitrogen retention and overall increased nutrient digestibility. Growth rates of many gram-negative bacteria, like E.coli or Salmonella spp. are reduced below pH 5. Low pH also forms a natural barrier against ascending microbes from the ileum and large intestine. Moreover, small acids are lipophilic and can diffuse across the cell membrane of gramnegative bacteria. In the more alkaline cytoplasm they dissociate and cause pH reduction. . This reduction alters cell metabolism and enzyme activity thus inhibiting growth of intraluminal microbes, especially pathogens.

Role of acidifiers in metabolism

Most organic acids have a considerable amount of energy. Organic acids are generally absorbed through the intestinal epithelia by passive diffusion. Short chain acids can be used in various metabolic pathways for energy generation, for instance for ATP generation in the citric cycle.

As the energy content of organic acids is completely used in metabolism it should be considered in the energy calculation of feed rations.
For example,

propionic acid contains one to five times more energy than wheat.

Gross energy content of selected organic acids and their salts (Freitag 2007):
Organic acid/salt
Formic acid
Acetic acid Propionic acid Lactic acid Fumaric acid Citric acid Calcium formate Sodium formate Calcium propionate

Solubility in Water
Very good
Very good Very good Good Low Good Low Very good Good

Gross energy (kcal/kg)

1385
3535 4968 3607 2747 2460 931 931 3965

Calcium lactate

Low

2436

Team work
Mohamed Ahmed M. A. El Sherif Karim Mohamed Hasan Ali Abd EL Rahman Ragab Ali Shaban

Mohamed Mostafa Ahmed

Reference

( Textbook )

Acidifiers in animal nutrition. Feed acidifiers global market trends.

Thanks