ISSUE FOCUS 36 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE January 2026 Rising costs, antibiotic restrictions, and environmental pressures are reshaping production, highlighting the need for nutritional strategies where functional phytogenics for sustainable animal nutrition play a measurable role. Standardized Quillaja saponins support health, immune balance, and efficiency, helping producers achieve stability, resilience, and sustainability under real farm conditions. Rising costs, antibiotic restrictions, and environmental pressures are reshaping the animal production industry. Phytogenic ingredients like Quillaja saponins are emerging as standardized, science-based tools to support animal health, efficiency, and sustainability in feed formulations. EVOLVING CHALLENGES IN SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION Animal production today faces a difficult balance between productivity, health, and cost efficiency. Feed variability, fluctuating raw-material prices, and stricter regulations on antibiotic use have intensified the need for nutritional strategies that help animals remain resilient and efficient under farm conditions. DEFINING QUALITY IN PHYTOGENIC INGREDIENTS Phytogenic ingredients have gained attention as one of the main strategies to achieve this balance. Yet, their effectiveness relies on controlled production and clear identification of their active ingredients and modes of action. The origin of the material, the production process, and the precision in defining active ingredients determine whether a phytogenic can truly be considered functional. Within this framework, Quillaja saponaria is among the most well-characterized sources used in animal nutrition, supported by extensive scientific evidence and a renewable origin. The triterpenic saponins of Quillaja saponaria have been widely studied for their biological activity. Highly purified fractions of these molecules are used as adjuvants in licensed human vaccines, including vaccines for malaria, shingles, and COVID-19. Their capacity to modulate immune responses explains the growing interest in using standardized Quillaja ingredients to promote animal health through nutrition. TWO NATURES OF QUILLAJA-DERIVED INGREDIENTS From the same raw material, two ingredient types can be obtained through different production processes tailored to distinct functional outcomes: Functional Phytogenics for Sustainable Animal Nutrition: THE ROLE OF QUILLAJA SAPONINS Diego González Morgado Regional Business Manager Plantae Labs – Chile
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