People, Poultry, Pigs & Probiotics

Gut health across multiple species has become a key area of focus in product development. On the human side, formulators are looking to take live probiotics into areas that were once unreachable; and on the animal side, they seek to improve digestive processes in monogastric animals (which, like humans, have single-chambered stomachs).

Using microencapsulated delivery systems and slow-release acidic modifiers, Maxx can deliver improved pH regulation in food and feed applications that prevent coloniziation of undesirable microorganisms along the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, shelf-stable probiotics are being offered in staples like baked goods and ready-to-drink powders; and they’re gaining interest on the animal side, as well.

It was against this backdrop that we were called by a transnational company looking for a way to deliver slow-release acidic modifiers to the intestines of poultry and pigs. They were using a competitor product that was clumpy, not free-flowing and inconsistent. Their goal was to reduce the amount of antibiotics in the feed, and still achieve a steady growth rate.

After two prototype developments and trials, the client reported that we were able to produce a free-flowing, slow-release blend that met the company’s established criteria. Large-scale animal trials were positive and their products have since been commercialized. Today, our targeted delivery system is being used to deliver mixtures of different acidic modifiers in a single combination blend — all in one microencapsulate.

At Maxx, our people work cross-functionally; experts in human foods work alongside experts in animal feed production. This facilitates the rapid knowledge-sharing that reduces development time — particularly among application