Availability of phytate-bound P as influenced by supplemental phytase was studied in eight horses consuming four diets in a 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment. The treatments were a control (containing a low P level, 18.4 g/d) and three high-P diets. These diets contained P as monocalcium phosphate (MCP; 43.7 g/d), myoinositol hexakisphosphate in the form of wheat and rice bran (MIHP; 41.8 g/...

The aim of the study was to observe the effects of dietary available phosphorus (aP) and calcium (Ca), with regular or super doses of phytase, on phytate hydrolysis and subsequent influences on broiler growth performance and nutrient utilization. In a 2 × 3 factorial design, 384 Ross-308 broilers were allocated to one of 6 dietary treatments with 8 replicates in a randomized complete block desi...

Phytate is not only an unavailable source of phosphorus (P) for broilers but it also acts as an anti-nutrient, reducing protein and mineral absorption, increasing endogenous losses and reducing broiler performance. The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-nutritional effects of phytate by including high levels of phytase in diets not severely limited in available P. A total of 76...

In most of the raw materials of plant origin used in animal feed, a portion of the phosphorus is stored as phytic acid or phytate. Phytate is the main storage form of phosphorus in vegetables but is not readily assimilated into food at low concentrations of the enzyme phytase. In addition to making phosphorous unavailable, phytate binds divalent cations such as calcium, copper, magnesium, iron,...

Plant foods were digested in vitro and the proportion of iron which diffused across a semi-permeable membrane was used as an index of Fe availability. The mean (with SEM) Fe diffusibility from a group of eighteen cereals, legumes and nuts was very low, 2.1 (0.25)%, whereas from a group of sixteen fruits and vegetables it was high, 31.7 (1.09)%. The difference between the two food groups was hig...

Biofortification of crops that provide major food staples to large, poor rural populations offers an appealing strategy for diminishing public health problems attributable to micronutrient deficiencies. The objective of this first-stage human study was to determine the increase in quantity of zinc (Zn) absorbed achieved by biofortifying wheat with Zn. Secondary objectives included evaluating th...

Plant seeds accumulate phosphorus in the form of myo-inositol1,2,3,4,5,6-hexa-kisphosphate, commonly referred to as phytic acid. Phytic acid is found complexed with cationic mineral species in the form of phytate, which is not well digested or absorbed by monogastric species such as humans, poultry, and swine. As a result, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] has an effective defi ciency of phospho...

Dietary quality is an important limiting factor to adequate nutrition in many resource-poor settings. One aspect of dietary quality with respect to adequacy of micronutrient intakes is bioavailability. Several traditional household food-processing and preparation methods can be used to enhance the bioavailability of micronutrients in plant-based diets. These include thermal processing, mechanic...