Review of the application of microbial phytases to facilitate the absorption of phosphorus in monogastric animals

Identifier:  TFG:3044

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFG3044

Authors:  Mondéjar Traveria, Laura

Abstract:
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient in the diet of monogastric animals. It is normally not bioavailable but is bound to phytic acid. This sequestration of phosphorus, and other minerals, causes phytate to act as an anti-nutrient. To solve this deficiency, the animals' diet is supplemented with inorganic phosphorus in the form of monocalcium or dicalcium phosphate. In addition to being uneconomic, excreted phosphorus causes environmental pollution. Phytases are enzymes that hydrolyze phytate by increasing the bioavailability of phosphorus in the diet of monogastric animals. They reduce the anti-nutritional effect, the environmental impact and decrease the expenditure on phosphorus supplements. There are endogenous phytases produced by the animal itself and exogenous ones coming from feed or isolated from microorganisms. In this review, the role on phosphorus uptake of exogenous microbial phytases is analyzed as a function of the cereal used as food matrix. The results show that they have a very important role in hydrolyzing phytate, in the digestibility and absorption of phosphorus, and in the reduction of its excretion into the environment. Regardless of the food matrix used, improvements are observed, even though each cereal has a different phytosanitary activity.