ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2022 41 Gut health refers to the physical state and physiological function of the gastrointestinal tract and in the livestock system; this topic is often focused on the complex interacting components of the intestinal system that influence animal growth performance and host-microbial homeostasis. With the antibiotic restriction use in animal production in many countries worldwide, research on the four major components of gut health, including diet (i.e., nutrition), mucosa, microbiome, and the immune system, has received many interest, particularly when alternatives to antibiotic are studied. Amongst these alternatives, solutions based on short and medium fatty acid and their derivatives continued to be widely investigated for a better understanding of their various and beneficial effects on animal health and performance and for the optimization of the efficacy of these compounds for innovative feed additives development. SHORT AND MEDIUM CHAINS FATTY ACIDS ESTERS: DEFINITION AND PROPERTIES Fatty acids are commonly categorized as short chain (SCFA; up to 4 C), medium chain (MCFA; from 6 to 12 C) and long chain (LCFA; more than 12 C). The role of SCFAs and MCFAs in control of infection and maintenance of health and integrity of digestive tract has been extensively studied in vitro as well in different animal species. Amongst limiting points that have been reported for their use, it can be cited their handling in industrial environment due to their pungent odor and unpleasant taste. HOW FATTY ACID ESTERS CONTRIBUTE TO GUT HEALTH IN ANIMAL PRODUCTION? Sustainability is a growing key issue for poultry and swine productions. One of the main social expectations is to remove antibiotics from feeds. Many feed additives could be an alternative to support gut health. Thanks to their proprieties, fatty acid esters can be an excellent solution to alleviate this challenge in monogastric productions. Pauline Duménil Product Manager Mixscience, Avril Group Claire Le Dain Product Manager Mixscience, Avril Group Dr. Clarisse Techer Research Innovation Development Manager Mixscience, Avril Group
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