Next generation feed additives for a post antibiotic era

Edward Manchester, Global Commercial Director at Ecolex Animal Nutrition (right) moderates a panel discussion on next generation feed additive strategies to reduce antibiotic reliance in poultry production, featuring Prof Julian Wiseman (second from left).

Raw material quality

Supply chain disruptions are driving diversified locally sourced ingredients with associated quality issues:

• Mycotoxin contamination
• Microbial contamination
• Anti-nutritional factors

Mycotoxin contamination can be mitigated through the use of binders but there are problems with this approach including limited mycotoxin spectrum. Other approaches include the use of humic acid and enzyme solutions.

Humic acid: An emerging tool for mycotoxin mitigation

Prof Wiseman identified humic acid as one of the key emerging molecules likely to play a greater role over the next five years as an adjunct to antibiotic reduction strategies—in the context of rising mycotoxin risk.

As more by-products and local raw materials are incorporated into poultry diets, the potential for hidden mycotoxin-related losses is expected to increase.

Humic acid stands out because:

• It is a natural organic compound, derived from decayed plant and animal material and brown coal.
• It contains trace minerals, humus, and fulvic acid, long recognized in crop agriculture for improving nutrient uptake.
• It is available as a feed ingredient or water-soluble additive, offering flexible application in animal production.

Functionally, humic acid offers more than just organic matter:

• Its complex, high molecular weight structure confers a strong binding (chelating) capacity, allowing it to form complexes with mycotoxins and heavy metals, much like clays or yeast cell wall products.
• It also acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect the intestine and liver and supporting birds under oxidative stress associated with mycotoxin exposure.

The unique chemistry of humic acid—its aromatic rings, phenolic, carboxyl, and quinone groups—underpins both its mycotoxin-binding properties and its role in gut and liver support.

This dual functionality is exactly why humic acid is gaining attention as part of the ‘next generation’ toolbox for more resilient, sustainable poultry production.

Enzymes: Taking mycotoxin control to the next level

Prof Wiseman highlighted how mycotoxin-neutralizing enzymes are changing the way we think about feed safety. Unlike traditional binders that simply physically adsorb mycotoxins, these enzymes provide rapid, irreversible and highly targeted detoxification, pushing feed safety to the next scientific level.

He highlighted several advantages of enzymatic approaches:

• Specific bio-transformation of mycotoxin molecules into non-toxic metabolites.
• High selectivity and substrate specificity, reducing the risk of interfering with valuable nutrients.
• Enhanced activity, stability, and scalability through advances in protein engineering.

Specialized enzymes derived from diverse microbial sources can now achieve precise, irreversible mycotoxin neutralization, and are gaining growing importance in commercial feed solutions.

Ecolex sees humic acid and enzymes as promising components within integrated mycotoxin management, developing solutions such as PuraTox Pro— that protect animal health, support producer profitability, and reduce reliance on antibiotics within a One Health framework.

The future belongs to enzyme blends + emulsifiers

Prof Wiseman also highlighted how the future lies in multi-enzyme blends working together with innovative emulsifiers to unlock more value from every ingredient.

Candidate molecules that exhibit digestibility enhancement include:

• Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL)
• Glycerin monostearate (GMS)
• Distilled monoglycerides (DMG)

Prof Wiseman stressed that non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) are not one simple target, they are a highly complex group of molecules—pentosans (arabinoxylans), hexosans (β-glucans), mixed (xyloglucan) and cellulose. That means no single NSP enzyme can do it all—enzyme blends need to be designed with this complexity in mind.

Interestingly, he noted that while xylanase is traditionally used to break down NSPs, studies at the University of Nottingham suggest it may act indirectly by affecting physiological mechanisms, such as increasing intestinal glucose absorption capacity, which in turn can support better growth and FCR.

For Ecolex, the next step is clear: multi-enzyme blends plus targeted emulsifiers—like EnzaMax Pro, helping producers manage variable raw materials, and support gut health—turning complexity in the feed into opportunity on-farm.

Beyond antibiotics: The power of fatty acids

Prof Wiseman reminded us that most major bacterial pathogens in poultry now include multi-drug resistant strains. One of the strategies he highlighted is combining short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) with alpha monolaurin (AML) to provide broad-spectrum control of Gram+ and Gram- bacteria.

He spotlighted medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs)—especially lauric acid (C12) from coconut and palm oil—for their ability to act quickly in the gut, disrupting harmful bacteria, supporting gut integrity, and boosting flock performance. Through efficient processing, a 60-68% AML product can be achieved, and when emulsified, its molecular potency is significantly increased.

AML does not just hit one target. It can disrupt bacterial membranes, alter intracellular pH, interfere with DNA and protein synthesis, destabilize enveloped viruses, and modulate the host immune response.

While acting locally in the gut, AML can also exert systemic effects via the blood and lymphatic systems, reducing pathogen prevalence, supporting a more favorable gut microbiome, and improving digestion and nutrient absorption.

Strategically combining AML and SCFAs was presented as a robust approach to reinforcing gut barrier function, suppressing pathogenic load, and enhancing flock vitality, thereby providing a proven alternative to antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs)—fully aligned with Ecolex’s vision for sustainable poultry nutrition.

Final thoughts

Prof Wiseman concluded that consumers are becoming increasingly discerning and health conscious, demanding high quality and safe proteins. Meeting this demand requires producers to treat nutrition, health, and food safety as a continuous chain, not isolated points—from raw material quality through to the live bird and final product.

By adopting a holistic One Health approach, that includes smarter nutrition, producers can build more robust, efficient birds while lowering infection pressure and the need for antimicrobials.

Such integrated programs not only safeguard performance and profitability, but also contribute directly to protecting animal welfare, preserving antibiotic efficacy, and deliver poultry products that consumers can trust.