TECHNOLOGY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE September 2025 65 Enzyme Development and Evaluation Enzyme companies now use SDS III to test the effects of proteases, phytases, amylase and NSPases. This enables faster, more precise R&D cycles, reducing the reliance on lengthy animal trials. For nutritionists, it means access to more robust enzyme data, which supports improved predictions of nutrient release in practical diets. Sustainability By improving the accuracy of digestibility predictions, SDS III enables nutritionists to design diets that reduce nitrogen excretion, phosphorus pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. In an industry under increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, this adds significant value. Expanding Applications While the current protocols are standardized for swine and poultry, SDS III is already being extended into pet food, aquaculture, human nutrition, and even ruminant research for evaluating protected nutrients and controlled-release additives. CASE EXAMPLE: ECONOMIC IMPACT IN A FEED MILL Consider a feed mill that processes 200,000 tons of feed annually. By switching to SDS III for ingredient screening and formulation, the company can cut live animal trial costs by up to 80% and reduce diet over-formulation. If energy and protein costs account up to 70% of production expenses, even a 1% improvement in formulation accuracy translates into hundreds of thousands of dollars saved per year. When combined with reduced animal trial costs and faster product development cycles, the return on investment for SDS III becomes compelling. LOOKING AHEAD SDS III represents a step change in feed evaluation. Its strengths include: Accuracy: Strong correlation with in vivo trials (R² up to 0.96). Consistency: CV <1.5%, enabling reliable repeatability. Efficiency: Cost savings up to 90%, with testing speed 60× faster than live-animal trials. Ethical benefits: Significant reduction in live-animal testing. Already adopted by more than 100 agricultural enterprises and validated across millions of tons of feed since SDS II’s introduction in 2014, SDS III has proven its worth. With CE certification, it is now ready for broader global adoption. Future applications may extend the system to a wider range of species, including companion animals (cats and dogs), salmonids, and even humans. In human nutrition, it could support the evaluation of medical foods for individuals with digestion or absorption disorders, as well as the assessment of plant-based meat alternatives. The system could also be linked to digital data platforms, allowing real-time monitoring and streamlined data sharing across feed mills, research centres, and nutrition professionals worldwide. In addition, integration with artificial intelligence (AI) could enable more precise and efficient feed formulation. CLOSING NOTE For an industry facing tight margins, volatile raw material costs, and sustainability pressures, SDS III is more than an innovation—it is a necessity. By providing a reliable bridge between lab-based screening and real-world feed formulation, it helps nutritionists and feed companies stay ahead in a competitive market. About Dr. Shukun Yu The current senior consultant for UniVOOK Chemical, Dr. Shukun Yu spent 32 years with Danisco, DuPont, and IFF as Technical Fellow, contributing to innovations such as Axtra® Phy (phytase) and Axtra® Pro (protease). Dr. Yu has been adjunct professor at Lund university (Sweden). He now leads efforts to promote SDS III adoption worldwide.
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