Enzymes in the animal-feed industry

Abstract

The increasing economic pressures currently being placed upon animal producers demand more-efficient utilization of low-grade feedstuffs. In addition, consumer awareness and new legislation require that any increase in animal production cannot be achieved via growth-promoting drugs or other chemical substances. One increasingly popular approach to this problem is to supplement animal diets with hydrolytic enzymes in an attempt to aid the digestion and absorption of poorly available nutrients, or to remove antinutritional factors from the diet. Concerns raised by this practice include the ability of such enzymes to survive processing temperatures and even the animals' digestive tract.