Chemical and nutritional properties of soybean carbohydrates as related to nonruminants: A review

The source, extraction, purification, physiological function, and application of stachyose in the food industry

Stachyose is a new functional oligosaccharide that exists naturally in plants, including Stachys sieboldii and Rehmannia glutinosa. Because of its low sweetness, low-calorie content, and robust stability, it has been used to improve food quality and develop functional foods. In addition, owing to its targeted regulatory effect on beneficial microorganisms in the gut and its influence on body health, evidence suggests that stachyose's physiological function may be attributed to its interaction with the host. Notably, stachyose's physiological characteristics and functions are largely affected by its extraction process, purity, physical composition, and chemical structure. Therefore, the present review mainly describes the source, extraction, and purification processes, physiological functions, and applications of stachyose in the food processing industry, which would aid in elucidating the biochemical reactions of stachyose in the body, and its future application prospects in the field of food.

Full-Fat Soybean Meals as an Alternative Poultry Feed Ingredient-Feed Processing Methods and Utilization-Review and Perspective

On a global scale, the poultry industry expands its wings in terms of meat and egg production to the masses. However, this industry itself requires a sustainable and permanent supply of different inputs, one of which is poultry feed and nutrition. Soybean is a versatile protein that is offered to poultry in different inclusion rates in commercial diets after being processed using various thermal and mechanical processing methods. Conventional commercial soybean meal is usually prepared by the extraction of oil from whole soybeans using solvents, producing a meal that has approximately 1% crude fat. Without oil extraction, full-fat soybean (FFSBM) is produced, and it is an excellent source of dietary energy and protein for poultry with a nutritional profile of 38-40% protein and 18-20% crude fat, on average. FFSBM has less crude protein (CP) than solvent-extracted soybean meal (SE SBM) but higher metabolizable energy due to higher fat content. Alternatively, extruded expeller processing produces defatted soybean meal containing approximately 6-7% crude fat. Studies have demonstrated that FFSBM can be used in poultry diets to improve poultry nutrition, performance, and quality of the poultry meat and eggs produced. This review aims to evaluate the nutrition and use of meals prepared from conventional and high-oleic soybeans using various feed processing methods.

Opportunities and Challenges of Soy Proteins with Different Processing Applications

Soybean meal (SBM) is a prevailing plant protein supplement in animal diets because of its nutritional value and availability. This review paper explores the significance of SBM and processed soy products, emphasizing their nutritional and bioactive components, such as isoflavones and soyasaponins. These compounds are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with a reduced prevalence of chronic diseases. However, the presence of antinutritional compounds in SBM presents a significant challenge. The paper evaluates various processing methods, including ethanol/acid wash, enzyme treatment, and fermentation, which are aimed at enhancing the nutritional value of soy products. It highlights the significance to maintain a balance between nutritional enhancement and the preservation of beneficial bioactive compounds, emphasizing the importance of different processing techniques to fully exploit the health benefits of soy-based products. Therefore, this review illuminates the complex balance between nutritional improvement, bioactive compound preservation, and the overall health implications of soy products.

Correlation between monosaccharide, oligosaccharide, and microbial community profile changes in traditional soybean brick (meju) fermentation

Meju is essential for making diverse traditional fermented soybean foods in Korea. To understand the changes in carbohydrates during fermentation, we aimed to identify autochthonous microorganisms from spontaneously fermented meju and compare the alterations in monosaccharides and oligosaccharides throughout the fermentation process. Microbial diversity was determined using a metabarcoding approach, and monosaccharide and oligosaccharide profiles were obtained by HPLC-Q-TOF MS and HPLC-MS/MS analyses, respectively. The dominant bacterial genera were Weissella, Lactobacillus, and Leuconostoc, while Mucor was highly abundant in the fungal community. The total monosaccharide content increased from Day 0 to Day 50, with the highest amount being 4.37 mg/g. Oligosaccharide profiling revealed the degradation of soybean dietary fiber during fermentation, and novel oligosaccharide structures were also discovered. Correlation analysis revealed that the fungus Mucor was positively related to pentose-containing oligosaccharides, galactose, and galacturonic acid, indicating that Mucor may degrade soybean dietary fibers such as xylogalacturonan, arabinogalactan, and rhamnogalacturonan. The negative relationships between the abundances of Weissella and oligo- and monosaccharides suggested that the bacteria may utilize saccharides for fermentation. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying carbohydrate degradation and utilization; the key components involved in saccharide transformation that contribute to the characteristics of traditional meju were subsequently identified.

Engineering Bacillus subtilis J46 for efficient utilization of galactose through adaptive laboratory evolution

Efficient utilization of galactose by microorganisms can lead to the production of valuable bio-products and improved metabolic processes. While Bacillus subtilis has inherent pathways for galactose metabolism, there is potential for enhancement via evolutionary strategies. This study aimed to boost galactose utilization in B. subtilis using adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) and to elucidate the genetic and metabolic changes underlying the observed enhancements. The strains of B. subtilis underwent multiple rounds of adaptive laboratory evolution (approximately 5000 generations) in an environment that favored the use of galactose. This process resulted in an enhanced specific growth rate of 0.319 ± 0.005 h-1, a significant increase from the 0.03 ± 0.008 h-1 observed in the wild-type strains. Upon selecting the evolved strain BSGA14, a comprehensive whole-genome sequencing revealed the presence of 63 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Two of them, located in the coding sequences of the genes araR and glcR, were found to be the advantageous mutations after reverse engineering. The strain with these two accumulated mutations, BSGALE4, exhibited similar specific growth rate on galactose to the evolved strain BSGA14 (0.296 ± 0.01 h-1). Furthermore, evolved strain showed higher productivity of protease and β-galactosidase in mock soybean biomass medium. ALE proved to be a potent tool for enhancing galactose metabolism in B. subtilis. The findings offer valuable insights into the potential of evolutionary strategies in microbial engineering and pave the way for industrial applications harnessing enhanced galactose conversion.

Impact of ultrasound treatment on the structural modifications and functionality of carbohydrates - A review

Carbohydrates are crucial in food as essential biomolecules, serving as natural components, ingredients, or additives. Carbohydrates have numerous applications in the food industry as stabilizers, thickeners, sweeteners, and humectants. The properties and functionality of the carbohydrates undergo alterations when exposed to various thermal or non-thermal treatments. Ultrasonication is a non-thermal method that modifies the structural arrangement of carbohydrate molecules. These structural changes lead to enhanced gelling and viscous nature of the carbohydrates, thus enhancing their scope of application. Ultrasound may improve carbohydrate functionality in an environmentally sustainable way, leaving no chemical residues. The high-energy ultrasound treatments significantly reduce the molecular size of complex carbohydrates. Sonication parameters like treatment intensity, duration of treatment, and energy applied significantly affect the molecular size, depolymerization, viscosity, structural modifications, and functionality of carbohydrate biomolecules. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of ultrasound-assisted modifications in carbohydrates and the changes in functional properties induced by sonication.

Leuconostoc performance in soy-based fermentations - Survival, acidification, sugar metabolism, and flavor comparisons

Leuconostoc spp. is often regarded as the flavor producer, responsible for the production of acetoin and diacetyl in dairy cheese. In this study, we investigate seven plant-derived Leuconostoc strains, covering four species, in their potential as a lyophilized starter culture for flavor production in fermented soy-based cheese alternatives. We show that the process of lyophilization of Leuconostoc can be feasible using a soy-based lyoprotectant, with survivability up to 63% during long term storage. Furthermore, the storage in this media improves the subsequent growth in a soy-based substrate in a strain specific manner. The utilization of individual raffinose family oligosaccharides was strain dependent, with Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides NFICC99 being the best consumer. Furthermore, we show that all investigated strains were able to produce a range of volatile flavor compounds found in dairy cheese products, as well as remove certain dairy off-flavors from the soy-based substrate like hexanal and 2-pentylfuran. Also here, NFICC99 was strain producing most cheese-related volatile flavor compounds, followed by Leuconostoc mesenteroides NFICC319. These findings provide initial insights into the development of Leuconostoc as a potential starter culture for plant-based dairy alternatives, as well as a promising approach for generation of stable, lyophilized cultures.

Apparent total tract digestibility and palatability of extruded diets with graded levels of whole soybeans by dogs

Fat has high energy density and is considered one of the primary energy sources for dogs, however, increasing fat level in dry dog food has been challenging due to the lubrication and limitation of the coating system. The objective was to determine the effect of whole soybeans (WSB) on nutrient digestibility, stool quality, and palatability by dogs. The corn gluten meal, chicken fat, and brewers rice were replaced by WSB at 10, 20, and 30% (WSB10, WSB20, and WSB30, respectively) in the base diet (WSB0). Twelve beagles were randomly assigned. The digestibility trial was duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square design where dogs were allowed a 9-d adaptation followed by a 5-d total fecal collection for each period. Least-square means were analyzed with a single degree of freedom contrasts and significance at α = 0.05. Palatability was determined with a 2-bowl test by 20 beagles for 2 d with each WSB diet compared to the WSB0. First choice preference between two diets and total food consumption were recorded. Individual intake ratios (IR) were calculated (intake of each diet/total intake) for each dog. First choice (FC) was analyzed by a Chi-square probability, and the diet consumption was compared by a Wilcoxon signed rank test and a 2-way analysis of variance. Fecal moisture, output, and defecation frequency increased linearly (P < 0.05) as WSB increased. Apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, fat, and gross energy decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as dogs fed the increased level of WSB. The fresh fecal pH in dogs decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as WSB content increased. The acetate, propionate, and the total short-chain fatty acid concentration increased linearly (P < 0.05) while the total branched-chain fatty acid concentration decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as WSB increased. Dogs had greater (P < 0.05) FC for WSB diets than WSB0, but there was no difference among treatments for diet consumption and IR. In conclusion, additional thermal processing before extrusion may improve nutrient digestibility of WSB. The stool quality and palatability were not affected, and fermentation in hindgut increased by WSB by dogs.

Impact of Ultrasonication on African Oil Bean (Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth) Protein Extraction and Properties

African oil bean (Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth) is an underutilised edible oil seed that could represent a sustainable protein source. In this study, the impact of ultrasonication on the extraction efficiency and properties of protein from African oil bean (AOB) seeds was evaluated. The increase in the duration of extraction favoured the extraction of AOB proteins. This was observed by an increase in extraction yield from 24% to 42% (w/w) when the extraction time was increased from 15 min to 60 min. Desirable properties were observed in extracted AOB proteins; the amino acid profile of protein isolates revealed higher ratios of hydrophobic to hydrophilic amino acids compared to those of the defatted seeds, suggesting alterations in their functional properties. This was also supported by the higher proportion of hydrophobic amino acids and high surface hydrophobicity index value (3813) in AOB protein isolates. The foaming capacity of AOB proteins was above 200%, with an average foaming stability of 92%. The results indicate that AOB protein isolates can be considered promising food ingredients and could help stimulate the growth of the food industry in tropical Sub-Saharan regions where AOB seeds thrive.

Carbohydrate-active enzymes in animal feed

Considering an ever-growing global population, which hit 8 billion people in the fall of 2022, it is essential to find solutions to avoid the competition between human food and animal feed for croplands. Agricultural co-products have become important components of the circular economy with their use in animal feed. Their implementation was made possible by the addition of exogenous enzymes in the diet, especially carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). In this review, we describe the diversity and versatility of microbial CAZymes targeting non-starch polysaccharides to improve the nutritional potential of diets containing cereals and protein meals. We focused our attention on cellulases, hemicellulases, pectinases which were often found to be crucial in vivo. We also highlight the performance and health benefits brought by the exogenous addition of enzymatic cocktails containing CAZymes in the diets of monogastric animals. Taking the example of the well-studied commercial cocktail Rovabio™, we discuss the evolution, constraints and future challenges faced by feed enzymes suppliers. We hope that this review will promote the use and development of enzyme solutions for industries to sustainably feed humans in the future.

Stimbiotics Supplementation Promotes Growth Performance by Improving Plasma Immunoglobulin and IGF-1 Levels and Regulating Gut Microbiota Composition in Weaned Piglets

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with stimbiotics (STB) on growth performance, diarrhoea incidence, plasma antioxidant capacity, immunoglobulin concentration and hormone levels, and faecal microorganisms in weaned piglets. Compared with the control (CT) group, the addition of STB improved the body weight (BW) of piglets on days 28 and 42 (p < 0.05) and increased daily weight gain and daily feed intake from days 14–28 and throughout the trial period (p < 0.05). Correspondingly, the plasma insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) level on day 42 was significantly improved by STB (p < 0.05). VistaPros (VP) group levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) A and G were significantly higher on days 14 and 42 (p < 0.05) than the CT group levels. In addition, the activity of plasma catalase tended to be increased on day 14 (p = 0.053) in the VP group, as for superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde, STB did not significantly affect their levels (p > 0.05). Moreover, dietary STB increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria, including norank_f_Muribaculaceae, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Parabacteroides, and unclassified_f__Oscillospiraceae. In summary, STB improved the immunity and IGF-1 levels in the plasma of weaned piglets and consequently promoted the growth performance of weaned piglets.

The transcriptional activator ClrB is crucial for the degradation of soybean hulls and guar gum in Aspergillus niger

Low-cost plant substrates, such as soybean hulls, are used for various industrial applications. Filamentous fungi are important producers of Carbohydrate Active enZymes (CAZymes) required for the degradation of these plant biomass substrates. CAZyme production is tightly regulated by several transcriptional activators and repressors. One such transcriptional activator is CLR-2/ClrB/ManR, which has been identified as a regulator of cellulase and mannanase production in several fungi. However, the regulatory network governing the expression of cellulase and mannanase encoding genes has been reported to differ between fungal species. Previous studies showed that Aspergillus niger ClrB is involved in the regulation of (hemi-)cellulose degradation, although its regulon has not yet been identified. To reveal its regulon, we cultivated an A. niger ΔclrB mutant and control strain on guar gum (a galactomannan-rich substrate) and soybean hulls (containing galactomannan, xylan, xyloglucan, pectin and cellulose) to identify the genes that are regulated by ClrB. Gene expression data and growth profiling showed that ClrB is indispensable for growth on cellulose and galactomannan and highly contributes to growth on xyloglucan in this fungus. Therefore, we show that A. niger ClrB is crucial for the utilization of guar gum and the agricultural substrate, soybean hulls. Moreover, we show that mannobiose is most likely the physiological inducer of ClrB in A. niger and not cellobiose, which is considered to be the inducer of N. crassa CLR-2 and A. nidulans ClrB.

Genome-Wide Detection of Quantitative Trait Loci and Prediction of Candidate Genes for Seed Sugar Composition in Early Mature Soybean

Seed sugar composition, mainly including fructose, glucose, sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose, is an important indicator of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed quality. However, research on soybean sugar composition is limited. To better understand the genetic architecture underlying the sugar composition in soybean seeds, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a population of 323 soybean germplasm accessions which were grown and evaluated under three different environments. A total of 31,245 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with minor allele frequencies (MAFs) ≥ 5% and missing data ≤ 10% were selected and used in the GWAS. The analysis identified 72 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with individual sugars and 14 with total sugar. Ten candidate genes within the 100 Kb flanking regions of the lead SNPs across six chromosomes were significantly associated with sugar contents. According to GO and KEGG classification, eight genes were involved in the sugar metabolism in soybean and showed similar functions in Arabidopsis. The other two, located in known QTL regions associated with sugar composition, may play a role in sugar metabolism in soybean. This study advances our understanding of the genetic basis of soybean sugar composition and facilitates the identification of genes controlling this trait. The identified candidate genes will help improve seed sugar composition in soybean.

Analysis of Oligosaccharides in Korean Fermented Soybean Products by the Combination of Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography

Doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and ganjang (soy sauce) are traditional fermented foods that are widely consumed in Korea. The oligosaccharides found in soybean and its fermented foods have great potential to improve the quality of foods; however, their structural details have not been well studied. In this study, we used advanced mass spectrometry and gas chromatography to analyze oligosaccharides and their monomeric composition in two fermented soybean products. In both foods, oligosaccharides with a degree of polymerization ranging from 3 to 7 were found. Their constituent monosaccharides were characterized; galactose, xylose, arabinose, and rhamnose were the predominant constituents of the oligosaccharides, and fucose, fructose, mannose, glucose, and N-acetylglucosamine were also found. The great structural diversity of the oligosaccharides found suggests that soybean carbohydrates are hydrolyzed and/or transformed during fermentation and may yield novel oligosaccharides.

Inclusion of Soybean Hulls (Glycine max) and Pupunha Peach Palm (Bactris gasipaes) Nanofibers in the Diet of Growing Rabbits: Effects on Zootechnical Performance and Intestinal Health

This study evaluated the inclusion of nanofibers from soybean hulls and pupunha peach palm heart sheaths in the diet of growing rabbits. Twenty-four New Zealand White rabbits (male and female) were allocated in three experimental groups: control, fed a basal diet; Nanosoy, fed a diet containing 7% soybean-hull nanofibers; and Nanopupunha, fed a diet containing 7% pupunha palm heart-sheath nanofibers. The Nanosoy-group rabbits showed poorer final weight, daily feed intake, and daily weight gain than those in other groups. In the duodenum, villus height, total mucosal thickness, and villus width were higher in rabbits that received nanofiber-supplemented diets than in the controls. Higher villus density and wall thickness were observed in Nanopupunha-fed rabbits than in the controls. In the jejunum, although the crypt depth was higher in Nanosoy-fed rabbits, the villus height:crypt depth ratio was higher in the Nanopupunha-fed group. Nanosoy-fed animals exhibited increased count Enterobacteriaceae populations. Rabbits in both nanofiber-fed groups exhibited higher lactic-acid bacterial counts than those in the control-diet group. Therefore, although the inclusion of 7% Nanopupunha in the diet of rabbits did not alter the performance, it improved intestinal health and increased the lactic-acid bacterial count in the cecum of growing rabbits.

The interaction between dietary fiber and gut microbiota, and its effect on pig intestinal health

Intestinal health is closely associated with overall animal health and performance and, consequently, influences the production efficiency and profit in feed and animal production systems. The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is the main site of the nutrient digestive process and the largest immune organ in the host, and the gut microbiota colonizing the GIT plays a key role in maintaining intestinal health. Dietary fiber (DF) is a key factor in maintaining normal intestinal function. The biological functioning of DF is mainly achieved by microbial fermentation, which occurs mainly in the distal small and large intestine. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), the main class of microbial fermentation metabolites, are the main energy supply for intestinal cells. SCFAs help to maintain normal intestinal function, induce immunomodulatory effects to prevent inflammation and microbial infection, and are vital for the maintenance of homeostasis. Moreover, because of its distinct characteristics (e.g. solubility), DF is able to alter the composition of the gut microbiota. Therefore, understanding the role that DF plays in modulating gut microbiota, and how it influences intestinal health, is essential. This review gives an overview of DF and its microbial fermentation process, and investigates the effect of DF on the alteration of gut microbiota composition in pigs. The effects of interaction between DF and the gut microbiota, particularly as they relate to SCFA production, on intestinal health are also illustrated.

Multiplex CRISPR/Cas9-mediated raffinose synthase gene editing reduces raffinose family oligosaccharides in soybean

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is an important world economic crop. It is rich in oil, protein, and starch, and soluble carbohydrates in soybean seeds are also important for human and livestock consumption. The predominant soluble carbohydrate in soybean seed is composed of sucrose and raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs). Among these carbohydrates, only sucrose can be digested by humans and monogastric animals and is beneficial for metabolizable energy, while RFOs are anti-nutritional factors in diets, usually leading to flatulence and indigestion, ultimately reducing energy efficiency. Hence, breeding efforts to remove RFOs from soybean seeds can increase metabolizable energy and improve nutritional quality. The objective of this research is to use the multiplex Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-mediated gene editing system to induce the knockout of soybean raffinose synthase (RS) genes RS2 and RS3 simultaneously to reduce RFOs in mature seeds. First, we constructed five types of multiplex gene editing systems and compared their editing efficiency in soybean hairy roots. We confirmed that the two-component transcriptional unit (TCTU) and single transcriptional unit (STU) systems with transfer RNA (tRNA) as the cleavage site performed better than other systems. The average editing efficiency at the four targets with TCTU-tRNA and STU-tRNA was 50.5% and 46.7%, respectively. Then, we designed four single-guide RNA (sgRNA) targets to induce mutations at RS2 and RS3 by using the TCTU-tRNA system. After the soybean transformation, we obtained several RS2 and RS3 mutation plants, and a subset of alleles was successfully transferred to the progeny. We identified null single and double mutants at the T2 generation and analyzed the seed carbohydrate content of their progeny. The RS2 and RS3 double mutants and the RS2 single mutant exhibited dramatically reduced levels of raffinose and stachyose in mature seeds. Further analysis of the growth and development of these mutants showed that there were no penalties on these phenotypes. Our results indicate that knocking out RS genes by multiplex CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing is an efficient way to reduce RFOs in soybean. This research demonstrates the potential of using elite soybean cultivars to improve the soybean meal trait by multiplex CRISPR(Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)/Cas9-mediated gene editing.

Effects of high- and low-fiber diets on intestinal oxidative stress in growing-finishing pigs

Feed is the most expensive facet of commercial pork production. In order to reduce feed costs, using high-fiber ingredients has become a common practice. Moderate levels of fiber can maintain intestinal physiological function and promote intestinal health. Oxidative stress is linked to impaired nutrient absorption and growth performance. This study investigated the effects of high-fiber (5.26% crude fiber) and low-fiber (2.46% crude fiber) diets on growth performance and intestinal oxidative stress parameters in growing-finishing pigs. Forty growing pigs with initial body weight (27.07 ± 1.26 kg) were randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups with 10 replicates of 2 pigs per pen. Pigs were weighed on day 35, 42, and 70. The feed intake was recorded daily to calculate growth performance parameters. On day 70, eight pigs in each treatment group were randomly selected and euthanized to obtain jejunum to measure oxidative stress status. Pigs fed a high-fiber diet were heavier than those fed a low-fiber diet on days 35, 42, and 70 (P < 0.05). During the whole feeding period, pigs fed a high-fiber diet had a higher average daily gain than those fed a low-fiber diet (P < 0.05). The low-fiber diet resulted in increased levels of malondialdehyde (P < 0.05) in the jejunum, suggesting that the low-fiber diet contributed to oxidative stress in the jejunum. The low-fiber diet also led to a significant increase in glutathione and oxidized glutathione levels (P < 0.05) in the jejunum, indicating that pigs fed a low-fiber diet needed to produce more antioxidant substances to cope with oxidative stress in the intestine. This was accompanied by a significant increase in the expression of glutathione synthesizing enzymes in the jejunum of the low-fiber group (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the high-fiber diet can improve growth performance and maintain intestinal health in growing-finishing pigs by reducing intestinal oxidative stress.

Irradiation with carbon ion beams affects soybean nutritional quality in early generations

As people's demand for healthy diet increases, improving soybean seed nutritional quality is becoming as important as yield. Carbon ion beam radiation (CIBR) is an effective method to create soybean mutants, and thus breeding cultivars with better seed nutritional quality. In this study, the high-yield soybean line 'Dongsheng 28' was used, and three CIBR doses (100, 120, and 140 Gy) were used to explore the characteristics of quality separation and variation in the offspring of early mutant populations. Eleven quality traits, including protein, oil, sucrose, soluble sugar, iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), cupper (Cu), daidzin, glycitin, and genistin concentrations were analyzed in the M₂ and M₃ generations. The results revealed that the range of protein and oil concentration of all three CIBR doses changed by 38.5-42.9% and 18.8-23.8% in the M₂ and M₃ generations, respectively, while soluble sugar and sucrose concentrations changed by 48.1-123.4 and 22.7-74.7 mg/g, with significant effects by 140 Gy across the two generations. Therefore, around the optimum range, a higher CIBR dose is better for high protein, oil, and sugar varieties selection. In general, irradiation raised isoflavone concentrations, but 140 Gy had an inhibitory effect on isoflavone concentrations in the M₃ generation. Although a variety could not be released in the M₂ or M₃ generation, the results of this study have important guiding significance for the targeted cultivation of specific nutritional quality materials. For instance, a lower irradiation dose is preferable when breeding targets are higher isoflavones and Mn concentrations. It is essential to increase the irradiation dose if the breeding targets contain high levels of protein, oil, sucrose, soluble sugars, Fe, Zn, and Cu.

Polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of phytoestrogen containing food and dietary supplements: DPPH free radical scavenging activity by HPLC

Soy, red clover, chaste tree, hop and flax have all been found to contain a wide range of phytoestrogenic compounds, and a large number of dietary supplements contain their extracts as principal ingredients. This study is aimed to evaluate the total polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity of phytoestrogen-containing food and formulated dietary supplements. The HPLC-DPPH method was applied for DPPH free radical scavenging activity testing of various phytoestrogen-containing samples. Polyphenol content and antioxidant activity in dietary supplements were higher than in functional food samples; multiple-botanical-source preparations showed higher polyphenol content and antioxidant activity than the mono-botanical counterparts. Furthermore, the correlation between polyphenol content and anti-oxidant activity was strongly statistically significant, so it might be concluded that antioxidant activity is proportional to the content of these secondary metabolites. The most striking batch-to-batch deviations were represented by one chaste berry-based product (RSD 41.3 %) and one red clover derived product (RSD 57.9 %). The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the phenolic profile and antioxidant properties of phytoestrogen containing food and dietary supplements.

A novel Bacillus sp. with rapid growth property and high enzyme activity that allows efficient fermentation of soybean meal for improving digestibility in growing pigs

AIMS

Soybean meal (SBM) contributes high-quality dietary protein for pigs. However, it also contains antinutritional factors such as allergenic high molecular weight proteins and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) that limit its use. Therefore, the objective of this study was to screen and characterize a robust Bacillus sp. from camel dung for soybean meal fermentation to improve the digestibility in growing pigs.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Molecular characterization revealed that isolate 9 (hereinafter referred to as "CP-9") was a Bacillus subtilis strain. It secreted cellulase (0.07 U ml-1 ), xylanase (1.91 U ml-1 ), and amylase (2.66 U ml-1 ) into the culture supernatant. Isolate CP-9 showed rapid growth on LB agar plates and grew at a wide range of pH (3.0-9.0) and temperatures (23-50°C) in LB broth. Protein profiling of SBM using SDS-PAGE showed a significant reduction of large globular proteins to small peptides after 48 h of fermentation. On a dry matter basis, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) of the fermented SBM (F-SBM) was decreased by 34.25% (from 9.72 to 7.24%) with an increase in CP content by 16.54% (from 48.74 to 56.80%). Pigs fed with a semi-purified diet formulated with F-SBM as the sole source of crude protein had higher (p < 0.05) apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of DM (80.0 vs. 71.7%), ash (55.6 vs. 36.1%), CP (84.2 vs. 78.3%), NDF (70.9 vs. 66.0%), and ADF (62.4 vs. 53.3%) compared with pigs fed with unfermented soybean meal (UF-SBM).

CONCLUSIONS

A novel Bacillus subtilis strain CP-9 was isolated and characterized from camel dung for efficient fermentation of SBM. This bacterium ameliorates physico-chemical characteristics of F-SBM and improved nutrient digestibility in growing pigs.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Our data suggest that a low-cost solid-state SBM fermentation was developed using this newly isolated bacterium. The resultant F-SBM improved the nutrient digestibility in growing pigs.

Effect of low-protein corn and soybean meal-based diets on nitrogen utilization, litter quality, and water consumption in broiler chicken production: insight from meta-analysis

The growing demand for high-value animal protein must be met using sustainable means that optimize the utilization of nutrients, especially nitrogen (N) so that excreta do not over-fertilize fields and end up causing soil acidification, waterway eutrophication and greenhouse gas emissions. Malodorous N compounds can cause respiratory diseases and poor growth in livestock. The increasing availability of feed-grade amino acids makes it possible to formulate low-protein diets for broilers and thereby reduce N excretion. However, published studies of the effects of such diets on broiler growth performance have been based on reducing CP contents gradually in a variety of ways that have given inconsistent results. Since the amount of published data is now large, a meta-analysis was performed in order to categorize diet formulation strategies and quantify their impact on N balance, water consumption, litter moisture, plasma uric acid. This showed that lowering the CP content of broiler diets generally means replacing some soybean meal with corn and hence increasing the starch content. However, since soybean meal is also a source of potassium, this reduces electrolyte balance. Lowering the CP content from 19% to 17% is associated with a 29% reduction of N excretion in broilers aged 0-21 d, and a 7% increase in N efficiency (N retention/N intake). Reducing the CP content from 19% to 17% decreases daily water consumption by 20.6 mL/bird, litter moisture by 2.2% and plasma uric acid by 0.56 mg/dL. This meta-analysis improves our understanding of the low-protein strategy and allows us to quantify its impact on N balance, litter quality and uric acid. It shows that managing N excretion is wholly beneficial and reduces litter wetness.

Nondestructive Prediction of Isoflavones and Oligosaccharides in Intact Soybean Seed Using Fourier Transform Near-Infrared (FT-NIR) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopic Techniques

The demand for rapid and nondestructive methods to determine chemical components in food and agricultural products is proliferating due to being beneficial for screening food quality. This research investigates the feasibility of Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) to predict total as well as an individual type of isoflavones and oligosaccharides using intact soybean samples. A partial least square regression method was performed to develop models based on the spectral data of 310 soybean samples, which were synchronized to the reference values evaluated using a conventional assay. Furthermore, the obtained models were tested using soybean varieties not initially involved in the model construction. As a result, the best prediction models of FT-NIR were allowed to predict total isoflavones and oligosaccharides using intact seeds with acceptable performance (R²_p: 0.80 and 0.72), which were slightly better than the model obtained based on FT-IR data (R²_p: 0.73 and 0.70). The results also demonstrate the possibility of using FT-NIR to predict individual types of evaluated components, denoted by acceptable performance values of prediction model (R²_p) of over 0.70. In addition, the result of the testing model proved the model’s performance by obtaining a similar R² and error to the calibration model.

Fiber digestibility in growing pigs fed common fiber-rich ingredients: a systematic review

The application of high-fiber ingredients in the swine feed industry has some limitations considering that high amounts of fiber are resistant to endogenous enzymatic degradation in the pig’s gut. However, there is growing interest in fiber fermentation in the intestine of pigs due to their functional properties and potential health benefits. Many strategies have been applied in feed formulations to improve utilization efficiency of fiber-rich ingredients and stimulate their prebiotic effects in pigs. This manuscript reviews chemical compositions, physical properties, and digestibility of fiber-rich diets formulated with fibrous ingredients for growing pigs. Evidences presented in this review indicate there is a great variation in chemical compositions and physical properties of fibrous ingredients, resulting in the discrepancy of energy and fiber digestibility in pig intestine. In practice, fermentation capacity of fiber components in the pig’s intestine can be improved using strategies, such as biological enzymes supplementation and feed processing technologies. Soluble dietary fiber (SDF) and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), rather than neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF), are recommended in application of pig production to achieve precise feeding. Limitations of current scientific research on determining fiber digestibility and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) production are discussed. Endogenous losses of fiber components from non-dietary materials that result in underestimation of fiber digestibility and SCFA production are discussed in this review. Overall, the purpose of our review is to provide a reference for feeding the pig by choosing the diets formulated with different high-fiber ingredients.

Effects of soybean raffinose on growth performance, digestibility, humoral immunity and intestinal morphology of growing pigs

There are appreciable does of raffinose in soybean, but the impacts of raffinose on pigs are poorly investigated. We used 2 experiments to investigate the influence of soybean raffinose on growth performance, digestibility, humoral immunity and intestinal morphology of growing pigs. In Exp. 1, a total of 30 crossbred (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) barrows (21.93 ± 0.43 kg) were randomly divided into 3 groups, and were fed with the control diet, the control diets supplemented with 0.2% and 0.5% raffinose, respectively, for 21 d. Results showed that the addition of 0.2% or 0.5% raffinose reduced (P < 0.05) average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG) and nutrient digestibility, and dietary 0.5% raffinose increased the ratio of feed to gain (P < 0.05). For serum indexes, dietary 0.5% raffinose decreased growth hormone and increased glucagon-like peptide-2, immunoglobulin G, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 concentration (P < 0.05). In Exp. 2, a total of 24 crossbred barrows (38.41 ± 0.45 kg) were randomly divided into 3 groups, and were fed with the control diet (ad libitum), the raffinose diet (0.5% raffinose, ad libitum), and the control diet in the same amount as the raffinose group (feed-pair group) for 14 d, respectively. Compared with the control diet, dietary 0.5% raffinose decreased ADFI (P < 0.05). Intriguingly, the raffinose group had lower ADG than the feed-pair group, lower nutrient digestibility, lower amylase activity in duodenum, lower amylase, lipase and trypsin activities in jejunum and higher TNF-α concentration in serum compared with the other 2 groups, and a higher ratio of villus height to crypt depth compared with the control group (P < 0.05). These results showed that soybean raffinose could reduce feed voluntary intake and body gain while improving intestinal morphology without a significant negative influence on immunity. Taken together, dietary raffinose could decrease growth performance by reducing both feed intake and nutrient digestibility while inducing humoral immune response of growing pigs.

Analysis of physiochemical composition and antioxidant properties between hulls of the genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant soybean and northeast soybean

In this study, the physiochemical and antioxidant properties of the soybean hulls from the genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant soybeans (line 40-3-2) and local cultivar northeast soybeans were investigated. The levels of fat, total phenolic, total extractable pectin and soluble dietary fiber in northeast soybeans hulls were less than that in glyphosate-tolerant soybeans hulls, respectively. The antioxidant capacity of total phenolic, water soluble pectin, and soluble dietary fiber showed that DPPH free radical scavenging activities of glyphosate-tolerant soybeans hulls were 118.23, 57.34 and 197.22 μg AAE/g, which were 2.3, 1.2 and 9.4 times of northeast soybeans hulls, respectively (p < 0.05), and FRAP of glyphosate-tolerant soybeans hulls were 401.67, 747.51 and 328.53 μg AAE/g, which were 1.8, 8.7 and 4.8 times of northeast soybeans hulls (p < 0.05). Glyphosate-tolerant soybeans hulls extract showed the stronger antioxidant activity, which was positively correlated with total phenolic content (r = 0.890, p = 0.001). It provides evidence on developing value-added utilization of hulls, soybean processing by-products, as nutraceuticals or functional food ingredients.

A Multicarbohydrase and Phytase Complex Is Able to Compensate a Nutrient-Deficiency in Growing-Finishing Pigs

Simple Summary

Phytate is the primary storage form of phosphorus in grain-based feedstuffs, which can reduce the utilization of the phosphorus, calcium, and other minerals. Additionally, non-starch polysaccha-rides can increase digesta viscosity and thus decrease the nutrient digestion and utilization. The current study has evaluated the effects of a next-generation multicarbohydrase and phytase com-plex on the growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients, carcass traits, and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs fed a corn-wheat-soybean meal-based diet. The results showed that dietary supplementation of the multicarbohydrase and phytase complex improved the growth performance and nutrient digestibility but had little effect on carcass traits and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs fed a corn-soybean meal-wheat-based diet. These findings indi-cate that the multicarbohydrase and phytase complex could be used as a promising enzymes product to mitigate the negative effects of phytate and non-starch polysaccharides.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of supplementing a corn-wheat-soybean meal-based diet with a multicarbohydrase and phytase complex (MCPC) on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, carcass traits, and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs. A total of 300 pigs (Duroc × Large White × Landrace; body weight = 25.3 ± 0.7 kg) were randomly allotted to three groups with 10 replicates of 10 pigs each. Pigs from three groups were fed positive control (PC) or negative control (NC), without or with MCPC diets, respectively. The MCPC supplied at least 1800, 1244, 6600, and 1000 units of xylanase, β-glucanase, α-arabinofuranosidase, and phytase per kilogram of diet, respectively. The NC diet was the PC diet but reduced in net energy (NE), digestible amino acids (dig. AA), digestible P (dig. P), and Ca by 74 kcal/kg, 7.0%, 0.134, and 0.119 percentage points, respectively. The diets were fed in 4 growth phases based on body weight (BW): phase 1: 25–50 kg, phase 2: 50–75 kg, phase 3: 75–100 kg, and phase 4: 100–135 kg. Compared to the PC, the NC diet decreased (p < 0.05) body weight gain, feed intake, and(or) feed to gain ratio during the growing/finishing phases 1, 2, 3, and 4. It also reduced (p < 0.05) the ATTD of crude protein, crude fat, P, and Ca of pigs. MCPC supplementation improved (p < 0.05) the body weight gain, feed intake, and(or) feed to gain ratio in phases 2, 3, and 4 and the ATTD of crude protein, crude fat, ash, P, and Ca for the NC diet. Additionally, dietary treatment had no effects on carcass traits and meat quality with the exception that the loin eye area in the NC plus MCPC diet was higher (p < 0.05) than the NC diet. In conclusion, the addition of MCPC to a corn-soybean meal-wheat-based diet reduced in energy and nutrients improved the growth performance and nutrient digestibility but had little effect on carcass traits and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs.

The Secretomes of Aspergillus japonicus and Aspergillus terreus Supplement the Rovabio® Enzyme Cocktail for the Degradation of Soybean Meal for Animal Feed

One of the challenges of the 21st century will be to feed more than 10 billion people by 2050. In animal feed, one of the promising approaches is to use agriculture by-products such as soybean meal as it represents a rich source of proteins. However, soybean meal proteins are embedded in a complex plant cell wall matrix, mostly composed of pectic polysaccharides, which are recalcitrant to digestion for animals and can cause digestive disorders in poultry breeding. In this study, we explored fungal diversity to find enzymes acting on soybean meal components. An exploration of almost 50 fungal strains enabled the identification of two strains (Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus japonicus), which improved the solubilization of soybean meal in terms of polysaccharides and proteins. The two Aspergilli strains identified in the frame of this study offer a promising solution to process industrial food coproducts into suitable animal feed solutions.

Technologically relevant Bacillus species and microbial safety of West African traditional alkaline fermented seed condiments

Fermented food condiments serve as a major source of nutrients to many homes in West Africa, especially among the rural poor who use these condiments as a cheap source of protein substitute for milk and other animal protein sources. Traditional fermented West African condiments are produced by spontaneous fermentation of legumes and protein-rich seeds of both cultivated and wild plant species. These fermented condiments are culturally accepted and widely produced in the West African sub-region, and rely on indigenous microbiota responsible for taste, texture, aroma development and the overall unique product characteristics. Detailed understanding of fermentation microbiota and their unique technological and functional properties are fundamental in developing products with enhanced quality and safety, as well as development of specific locally adapted starter cultures. Technologically relevant Bacillus spp., mainly Bacillus subtilis, are the predominant fermentative bacteria responsible for the natural fermentation of condiments across West Africa. Other species of Bacillus including B. amyloliquefaciens, B. licheniformis, B. pumilus, B. megaterium, B. sphaericus, B. cereus, B. badius and B. fusiformis are also frequently involved in the fermentation process. These bacterial species are responsible for flavor development, bio-conversion of complex food molecules, and production of antimicrobial compounds that impact shelf-life and safety, and in some instances, may confer host-beneficial health effects beyond basic nutrition. First, this review provides currently available information on the technologically relevant Bacillus species isolated from fermented food condiments in nine (9) West African countries. In addition, perspectives on harnessing the potentials of the technologically beneficial bacterial strains in fermented condiments in West Africa for enhanced food safety, quality and overall food security is presented.

Prebiotic Carbohydrates for Therapeutics

The food industry is constantly shifting focus based on prebiotics as health-promoting substrates rather than just food supplements. A prebiotic is "a selectively fermented ingredient that allows specific changes, both in the composition and/or activity in the gastrointestinal microflora that confers benefits upon host well-being and health." Prebiotics exert a plethora of health-promoting effects, which has lead to the establishment of multimillion food and pharma industries. The following are the health benefits attributed to prebiotics: mineral absorption, better immune response, increased resistance to bacterial infection, improved lipid metabolism, possible protection against cancer, relief from poor digestion of lactose, and reduction in the risk of diseases such as intestinal disease, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, obesity and allergy. Numerous studies in both animals and humans have demonstrated the health benefits of prebiotics.

Cellulase and Alkaline Treatment Improve Intestinal Microbial Degradation of Recalcitrant Fibers of Rapeseed Meal in Pigs

The aim of the current study was to investigate whether degradation of rapeseed meal (RSM) by a swine gut microbiota consortium was improved by modifying RSM by treatment with cellulase (CELL), two pectinases (PECT), or alkaline (ALK) compared to untreated RSM and to assess whether microbiota composition and activity changed. The predicted relative abundances of carbohydrate digestion and absorption, glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and pyruvate metabolism were significantly increased upon CELL and ALK feeding, and CELL and ALK also exhibited increased total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production compared to CON. Megasphaera, Prevotella, and Desulfovibrio were significantly positively correlated with SCFA production. Findings were validated in ileal cannulated pigs, which showed that CELL and ALK increased fiber degradation of RSM. In conclusion, CELL and ALK rather than PECT1 or PECT2 increased fiber degradation in RSM, and this information could guide feed additive strategies to improve efficiency and productivity in the swine industry.

Effects of fibre-degrading enzymes in combination with different fibre sources on ileal and total tract nutrient digestibility and fermentation products in pigs

The study was conducted to determine effects of a complex of fibre-degrading enzymes (xylanase, cellulase and β-glucanase) on nutrient digestibility, fibre fermentation and concentrations of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) at different parts of digestive tract in pigs fed different fibre-rich ingredients. A total of 36 barrows fitted with T-cannulas in the distal ileum (initial body weight of 41.1 ± 2.7 kg) were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments with three different high-fibre diets including maize bran (MB), sugar beet pulp (SBP) and soybean hulls (SH) with or without supplementation of fibre-degrading enzymes. Enzyme supplementation improved (p < 0.05) apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of dietary gross energy (GE), crude protein, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), total dietary fibre (TDF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dietary GE, DM, OM, TDF, insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) when pigs were fed MB, SBP or SH diets. When compared to the SBP and SH diets, the AID of GE, DM, ash, OM and NDF in diet MB was higher (p < 0.05), but the hindgut disappearance and ATTD of nutrients, except for ether extract and crude ash, were lower (p < 0.05). Enzyme supplementation increased acetate and total SCFA concentrations in ileal digesta and faeces of pigs. In conclusion, enzyme addition improved IDF fermentation and SCFA concentration in the whole intestine of pigs, and there was a large variation of digestibility of fibre components among MB, SH and SBP owing to their different fibre composition. Therefore, fibre-degrading enzymes should be applied to fibrous diets to improve efficient production of swine, especially considering low fibre digestibility of fibre-rich ingredients.

Analysis and comparison of seed protein, oil, and sugars in edamame dried using two oven-drying methods and mature soybeans

BACKGROUND

Edamame, a vegetable soybean (Glycine max) grown mainly in Asia, has high nutritional and market value and is a relatively new crop to North America. By 2 years of field trials, we evaluated the seed composition traits in 54 genotypes to analyze the differences and relationship between edamame seeds dried by two oven-drying methods and mature soybeans.

RESULTS

The genotypic differences were significant for all the traits investigated. Significant differences also existed between the two sets of dried edamame and mature seeds. Protein content in mature soybean averaged 426.8 g kg-1 , and 432.8 g kg-1 and 405.6 g kg-1 for shelled-dried and unshelled-dried edamame respectively. Oil content in shelled-dried and unshelled-dried edamame averaged 206.3 g kg-1 and 212.6 g kg-1 respectively, and 195.8 g kg-1 for mature soybean. Sucrose content in mature soybean (60.2 g kg-1 ) was approximately 1.5 and 3 times that of unshelled-dried and shelled-dried edamame respectively. Mature soybean also exhibited the highest concentrations of stachyose and total sugars, followed by unshelled-dried and shelled-dried edamame. The broad-sense heritability estimates of traits in mature soybean (49.41-89.16%) were higher than those of edamame (10.26-78.96%). Higher broad-sense heritability was uncovered for protein and oil, but lower estimates for sugars, fiber, and ash. Positive correlations were detected between the two sets of edamame seeds and mature soybean for protein and oil (r = 0.63-0.88).

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that indirect selection through mature seeds is helpful for the improvement of protein and oil in edamame, whereas the improvement of seed sugars in edamame is more challenging. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Quantitative NIR determination of isoflavone and saponin content of ground soybeans

Over 3200 discrete soybean samples were obtained from production locations around the United States during the years 2012-2016. Ground samples were scanned on near infrared spectrometers (NIRS) and analyzed by HPLC for total isoflavone and total saponin composition, as well as total carbohydrate composition. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis of preprocessed spectral data was used to develop optimized models to predict isoflavone content. The selection of a suitable calibration model was based on a high regression coefficient (R2), and lower standard error of calibration (SEC) values. Robust validated predictions were obtained for isoflavones, however less than robust calibrations were obtained for the total saponins. The correlations were not as robust for predicting the carbohydrate composition. NIRS is a suitable, rapid, nondestructive method to determine isoflavone composition in ground soybeans. Useful isoflavone composition predictions for large numbers of soybean samples can be obtained from quickly obtained NIRS scans.

Molecular-assisted breeding for improved carbohydrate profiles in soybean seed

KEY MESSAGE

Two independent variant raffinose synthase 3 (RS3) alleles produced an equivalent phenotype and implicated the gene as a key contributor to soybean seed carbohydrate phenotype. Soybean is an important crop because the processed seed is utilized as a vegetable oil and a high protein meal typically used in livestock feeds. Raffinose and stachyose, the raffinose family of oligosaccharides (RFO) carbohydrate components of the seed, are synthesized in developing soybean seeds from sucrose and galactinol. Sucrose is considered positive for metabolizable energy, while RFO are anti-nutritional factors in diets of monogastric animals such as humans, poultry, and swine. To increase metabolizable energy available in soybean seed meal, prior research has been successful in deploying variant alleles of key soybean raffinose synthase (RS) genes leading to reductions or near elimination of seed RFO, with significant increases in seed sucrose. The objective of this research was to investigate the specific role of variants of the RS3 gene in a genomic context and improve molecular marker-assisted selection for the ultra-low (UL) RFO phenotype in soybean seeds. The results revealed a new variant of the RS3 allele (rs3 snp5, rs3 snp6) contributed to the UL RFO phenotype when mutant alleles of RS2 were present. The variant RS3 allele identified was present in about 15% of a small set of soybean cultivars released in North America. A missense allele of the RS3 gene (rs3 G75E) also produced the UL RFO phenotype when combined with mutant alleles of RS2. The discoveries reported here enable direct marker-assisted selection for an improved soybean meal trait that has the potential to add value to soybean by improving the metabolizable energy of the meal.

Relationship between Dietary Fiber Fermentation and Volatile Fatty Acids' Concentration in Growing Pigs

Simple Summary

The study suggests differences in fermentable capacity of fibrous feed ingredients are associated with fiber composition in pig. Results demonstrate that the fiber digestibility of oat bran, sugar beet pulp and soybean hulls is greater than for corn bran, wheat bran and rice bran in the pig intestine. Furthermore, results indicate that volatile fatty acids’ concentration (VFA) is positively correlated primarily with insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) fermentation, and the digestibility of IDF is the best single variable to predict fecal VFA concentrations. The contribution of this study is to provide instructions on how to implement fiber-rich ingredients effectively in the feed formulation for swine.

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine whether differences in fiber fermentation in fiber-rich feed ingredients exist and to assess relationship between fiber fermentation and concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in pig. Castrated males (barrows) were allotted randomly to six diets formulated with different amounts of wheat bran (WB), corn bran (CB), sugar beet pulp (SBP), oat bran (OB), soybean hulls (SH) or rice bran (RB). The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) for OB and SH diets was greater (P < 0.05) than for the other diets. The fermentation of total dietary fiber (TDF) and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) in the hindgut were greater (P < 0.05) for SBP and SH diets than for WB, CB, OB and RB diets. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) values of all fiber components in SBP, SH and OB diets were greater (P < 0.05) than for WB, CB and RB diets. The concentration of VFA in feces was positively correlated with the ATTD of IDF and cellulose, and ATTD of IDF is the best factor for predicting fecal VFA concentration. Overall, dietary fiber source affected fermentable characteristics of fiber components in the different digestive segments of pig intestine.

TILLING by Sequencing: A Successful Approach to Identify Rare Alleles in Soybean Populations

Soybean seeds produce valuable protein that is a major component of livestock feed. However, soybean seeds also contain the anti-nutritional raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) raffinose and stachyose, which are not digestible by non-ruminant animals. This requires the proportion of soybean meal in the feed to be limited, or risk affecting animal growth rate or overall health. While reducing RFOs in soybean seed has been a goal of soybean breeding, efforts are constrained by low genetic variability for carbohydrate traits and the difficulty in identifying these within the soybean germplasm. We used reverse genetics Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING)-by-sequencing approach to identify a damaging polymorphism that results in a missense mutation in a conserved region of the RAFFINOSE SYNTHASE3 gene. We demonstrate that this mutation, when combined as a double mutant with a previously characterized mutation in the RAFFINOSE SYNTHASE2 gene, eliminates nearly 90% of the RFOs in soybean seed as a proportion of the total seeds carbohydrates, and results in increased levels of sucrose. This represents a proof of concept for TILLING by sequencing in soybean.