Probiotics – science-based natural products as antibiotic alternatives
CASE STUDY
Submission from Evonik
Complex biofilm structure of Bacillus subtilis strain DSM 32315.
The innovation.
The need for sustainable livestock farming is fuelled by global trends such as population growth, and the needs of stakeholders in the food chain. By 2050, up to 10 billion people will live on this planet, resulting in increased demand for affordable and accessible protein. Since 2018, poultry has outcompeted all other animal protein sources. However, 73% of all antibiotics used in 2021 were used in meat production. Interestingly, the majority of these were used beyond medical justification, as antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs), which are administered in subtherapeutic doses to improve animals’ growth performance. According to the WHO, there is a correlation between the rising use of antibiotics in livestock farming and in human and veterinary medicine and the ever-growing spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which limits treatment options in hospitals. Consequently, AGPs were banned entirely in the EU as from 2006. However, they are still used in regions outside Europe. At the same time, the One Health Initiative has been introduced as a result of the basic understanding that human health, animal health, and ecosystem health are inseparably linked.
The EU’s ban on AGPs, along with more restrictive prescription practices, has led to increased interest in alternative feed additives that have the potential to reduce or even replace feed antibiotics. Organic acids, enzymes, prebiotics, and phytogenics all belong to this class of additives, but probiotics are considered to have the greatest potential. According to various market studies, the size of the probiotics market for animal feed was approximately US$2.7 billion in 2021. Fragmented among hundreds of manufacturers, this market encompasses Bacillus as well as lactic acid bacteria and certain yeast products. Many of these probiotic products have been developed empirically and lack a clear mode of action. Therefore, there is a strong need for effective, science-based probiotics to increase the health and performance of farm animals. The probiotic GutCare® highlights the development of an effective feed additive.
Electron microscopic image of Bacillus subtilis DSM 32315 spores.
The benefits.
Probiotics are effective alternatives to antibiotics, since they have the capability to promote gut health, the resilience of poultry, and poultry performance due to multiple modes of action. They can inhibit pathogens by producing secondary metabolites. They can compete for binding sites, improve gut integrity, and stimulate the immune system. Furthermore, secreted enzymes help with the digestion of feed which is important for both the performance of poultry and to reduce nitrogen excretion into the environment.
Replacing antibiotics in feed has an impact on the prevalence of subclinical necrotic enteritis, an illness caused by the toxin-producing Clostridium perfringens pathogen. This disease is characterized by lesions in the intestinal wall, resulting in global losses of US$6 billion. The development of a dedicated Bacillus-based probiotic required a complex screening process on a collection of 500 Bacillus strains. Covering over 20 parameters - including sporulation efficiency, heat resistance, survival under intestinal tract conditions, C. perfringens inhibition, safety evaluation, and production efficiency - the screening resulted in a couple of candidate strains. Spores of the strain Bacillus subtilis DSM 32315 were selected as the active principle for the feed additive GutCare®. This product was subjected to numerous animal studies that successfully demonstrated its efficiency, particularly in C. perfringens models. In a large-scale meta-analysis, the product showed comparable efficacy, even compared to antibiotic growth promoters.
Additional materials:
Petri D, Pelzer S, Kleinboelting, J et al. (2017) Bacillus subtilis strain with probiotic activity. PCT Patent WO2017207372A1.
Whelan RA, Doranalli K, Rinttilä T, et al. (2019) The impact of Bacillus subtilis DSM 32315 on the pathology, performance, and intestinal microbiome of broiler chickens in a necrotic enteritis challenge. Poult Sci. 98:3450-3463.
Further information on GutCare®
Additional Evonik science-based Probiotic products:
