DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences announced June 2 the launch of the novel phytase enzyme Axtra PHY GOLD, which the company said will be available in the U.S., Mexico and India and, eventually, worldwide pending regulatory authorizations.

According to DuPont, recent scientific studies demonstrate that Axtra PHY GOLD’s ability to allow formulation of inorganic phosphate-free high-phytate diets improves sustainability of animal production. It also offers market-leading thermostability, shown to outperform other phytases under a wide range of pelleting conditions, making it a choice for applications where pelleting performance is a primary concern.

Phytate is the main storage form of phosphorus in all grains, which represents the basis of most plant-based diets used in animal production. Phytases are enzymes that help break down phytate, allowing better absorption of phosphate and reducing or removing the need for addition of phosphate supplements in poultry and pig diets, the company said.

The ideal phytase needs to break down phytate as quickly as possible to reduce phytate’s negative effects. This requires an enzyme that is highly active at the low pH in an animal’s upper digestive tract. Axtra PHY GOLD has been developed with this in mind.

“Most poultry and swine diets contain a phytase enzyme, which is an important contributor to the feed performance,” said Dr. Arno de Kreij, segment leader, DuPont Animal Nutrition. “DuPont is committed to continuously investing in and developing better solutions for animal producers, such as Axtra PHY GOLD,— that enable the industry to further optimize feed cost and meet the challenges faced during feed production, like environmental impact.”

DuPont noted that use of the Axtra PHY GOLD enzyme also provides animal producers with numerous value-added services, such as diet and raw material analysis and feed formulation tools, in line with DuPont’s nutribiotic approach to working with customers on their holistic feed strategy. Nutribiosis is the interplay of three pillars: nutrition, microbiome and gut and immune function.

DuPont Animal Nutrition is a market leader in nutritional health solutions with a comprehensive portfolio of feed enzymes, betaine, phytogenics and probiotics. DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences applies expert science to advance market-driven, healthy and sustainable solutions for the food, beverage, dietary supplement and pharmaceutical industries.