3 minute read
Health from the Inside Out
Heal th from the insi de out with innovative yeast strain – Kluyveromyces fragilis
Healthy young pets require tasty as well as highly digestible feed ingredients for their vitality.
By Oliver Caiger-Smith, Biochem
Development of a healthy adult pet is often grounded in the development of vital functions such as the digestive and immune systems early on. This can be challenging as young mammals must transition from highly digestible liquid milk, onto more complex solid feed which requires greater digestive capacity. Meanwhile the new nutritional substrates entering the gut are responsible for a change in the relative populations of different microbial species that make up the gut microbiome. At the same time the immune system begins to develop.
The development of the young animal at this stage is dependent on several factors, including the presence of immune-stimulating factors and meeting the needs for proper development of body tissues. The epithelial tissues are of highest relevance for barrier and immune function, such as the gut wall or outer skin. This means of course providing the right ingredients and nutrients in a palatable and highly-bioavailable form, but also supporting nutrient absorbability via high gut functionality.
Palatability and hence feed acceptance can be enhanced by several means including the addition of yeast. TechnoYeast is a hydrolysed Kluyveromyces fragilis strain of yeast with a specific umami flavor and contains nucleotides, which also help to intensify the positive taste response via working synergistically at the taste receptor. This results in better tasting food, better feed intake and in turn better gut development. Nucleotides, which make up DNA, also provide more building material for the proliferation of rapidly growing tissues, or supporting tissues which are frequently turning over, like the gut. Another important active component of TechnoYeast are the β-1.3-1.6- glucans from the yeast cell wall, which are known to have stimulating effects on the unspecific immune system by activating macrophages and increasing the production of cytokines, which are the initiator of the immune response. Thus, TechnoYeast can reinforce the natural defence against bacteria, viruses and parasites.
High levels of essential amino acids, as well as non-essential but helpful amino acids, like natural glutamic acid, are found in TechnoYeast in a highly available form, as the protein is “predigested” due to a gentle hydrolysis process. This high digestibility prevents undigested protein from entering the hind gut where it may cause digestive disturbance.
While specialized hydrolysed yeast products can help to improve the development of gut enterocytes, integrity of the gut is also the responsibility of the tight junctions. The trace mineral zinc is a critical element required for intact tight junctions. Creating gut balance requires both the cells and their adjoining junctions to both retain their integrity. Therefore, one should explore multiple avenues to create nutritional concepts rather than simply focusing on a single additive. Moreover, correct trace mineral nutrition is important for an adequate hemoglobin level in the first weeks of life, as well as a healthy development of the skeletal system, hair, skin and nails.
E.C.O.Trace glycine chelates offer higher bioavailable forms of zinc, copper, manganese and iron compared to inorganic sources. As well as being more available, E.C.O.Trace improves the stability of vitamin and vitamin-like substances in premix, giving higher quality food in the bag and on the label to create a visible point of difference. Health and vitality of our pets comes from the inside out, so it is important to look at healthy older pets being the healthy young pets of previous years.
