¿What is the role of phytobiotics in animal production?: Benefits, bioavailability, current and future challenges

Abstract

More and more countries are incorporating new safety, health and food safety regulations, responding to the growing concern about the use of antibiotic growth promoters (APC) in animal production, the scientific community has been forced to seek new alternatives that reduce or replace the use of (APC), with the ability to safeguard public health. Within these alternatives, phytobiotics are considered a very promising option, since they are natural substances made up of complex bioactive compounds. This document reviews the different applications and functionality of phytobiotics in animal production. Firstly, the main effects and mechanism of action are shown, highlighting and explaining their functionality as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, growth promoters, improvers of the organoleptic characteristics of foods and reduces the generation of gases that cause the greenhouse effect. Second, notable applications of phytobiotics to different species of zootechnical interest and their effect are reviewed. Finally, their bioavailability and the current and future challenges of phytobiotics are investigated.