Abstract
This study describes the process of developing an enzymatic pretreatment to improvethe nutritional value of feather meal (FeM). In a first experiment, a full factorial design was used toexamine the effects of various incubation conditions on the solubilization of nitrogen in FeM. Weincubated FeM for 3 h with various levels of a commercial alkaline serine protease (Savinase®16L), sodium sulphite (Na2SO3), and digestion buffer. A Savinase® 16L level of 3% (%FeM v/w),Na2SO3 level of 3% (%FeM w/w), and digestion buffer level of 500% (%FeM w/w) were identifiedas the optimal conditions. Under these optimal conditions, 45% of the nitrogen in FeM wassolubilized. In a second experiment, we evaluated the effect of more economically sustainableincubation conditions on the in vitro digestibility of protein (pepsin-HCl digestibility andmultistep protein evaluation) in FeM. Two FeMs were incubated with 0.5% Savinase® 16L (%FeMv/w), 2% Na2SO3 (%FeM w/w), and 200% buffer (%FeM w/w) for 24 h. The pretreatment improvedpepsin-HCl digestibility by 7%–16% and the total tract degradable protein content by 14%–50%.Accordingly, this novel pretreatment could be applied in the animal feed industry to improve thenutritional value of FeM.
Highlights
Feather meal (FeM) is a cost-effective and high-protein (75–85%) feed ingredient created through the steam hydrolysis of keratinous coproducts generated by the meat industry [1,2]
We have demonstrated that incubating FeM with 0.5% Savinase® 16L (%FeM v/w), 2% Na2SO3 (%FeM w/w), and 200% buffer (%FeM w/w) for 24 h significantly (p < 0.005) improved the digestibility and bioavailability in FeM fed to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) [1,2]
The present study is, to the authors’ knowledge, the first published study to investigate the dynamics of various combinations of digestion buffer, protease enzyme, and sodium sulphite levels on the enzymatic hydrolysis of FeM
Summary
Feather meal (FeM) is a cost-effective and high-protein (75–85%) feed ingredient created through the steam hydrolysis of keratinous coproducts generated by the meat industry [1,2]. Such keratinous waste consists mostly of poultry feathers, and includes hog hair and hooves. To make raw keratin digestible, the rendering industry uses steam hydrolysis along with high pressure to break down these chemical bonds [3]. Variability in FeM protein digestibility has been associated with the use of diverse raw materials and commercial processing systems under various processing conditions (pressure, temperature, time) by renderers [3]
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