# Bio-deactivation of anti-nutritional factors Enzymes and controlled fermentation are neutralizing the phytate, trypsin inhibitors and oligosaccharides that limit nutrient uptake from plant-based feed — an EU-authorized next-generation phytase, a fermented-soy process cutting risk on batch-to-batch antinutrient variability, and a Chinese phytase producer trimming manure phosphorus by up to 60%. Source: https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/bio-deactivation-anti-nutritional-factors/ Updated: 2026-08-18 ## Overview and value chain Markers: [EC: EU feed additive authorization (Regulation (EC) 1831/2003) | OECD: Food systems | Regulator: EFSA (EU), FDA (USA), MARA (China)] Bio-deactivation of anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) applies enzymes and controlled fermentation to neutralize the phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors, β-conglycinin and oligosaccharides naturally present in soy, legume and cereal-based feed and food ingredients, which otherwise bind minerals and amino acids or interfere with digestion. In the EU, DSM-Firmenich received EU authorization on 24 September 2024 for HiPhorius, a next-generation phytase for all poultry species, Suidae (pigs and sows) and fin fish, achieving faster and more complete phytate degradation than earlier-generation phytases. Also in the EU, Denmark's Hamlet Protein produces specialty fermented soy-based protein ingredients that hold ANF levels — trypsin inhibitors, β-conglycinin, galacto-oligosaccharides — consistently low batch to batch regardless of raw-material variability, and was acquired by Royal Agrifirm Group in a deal completed in May 2026. In China, Vland Biotech's feed-grade phytase degrades phytate-bound phosphorus in plant-based feed ingredients, cutting livestock and poultry manure phosphorus excretion by 30–60% while releasing bound minerals, amino acids and trace elements for absorption. In the US, Novus International has published a decade-plus data review flagging trypsin inhibitors as a more significant, underappreciated risk in soy-based poultry and swine diets than previously recognized — even after conventional heat processing — and is pairing protease-enzyme supplementation with near-infrared (NIR) testing for more frequent raw-material screening. The key directions of bio-deactivation of anti-nutritional factors are: 1. **Phytase-mediated phytate degradation (Phytase-Mediated Phytate Degradation):** enzymes hydrolyzing phytic acid to release bound phosphorus, minerals and amino acids, cutting manure phosphorus and inorganic phosphate supplementation. 2. **Fermentation-based trypsin-inhibitor and oligosaccharide removal (Fermentation-Based Trypsin-Inhibitor and Oligosaccharide Removal):** controlled microbial fermentation of soy/legume meal degrading protease inhibitors and oligosaccharides for young-animal digestibility. 3. **Protease-mediated trypsin-inhibitor neutralization (Protease-Mediated Trypsin-Inhibitor Neutralization):** feed enzyme blends breaking down residual trypsin inhibitors that survive conventional heat processing. 4. **Rapid ANF quality screening (Rapid ANF Quality Screening):** near-infrared and other rapid analytical technologies for real-time assessment of raw-material ANF variability, replacing infrequent lab testing. ### Sectoral value chain ``` [raw material intake] ──> [ANF profiling/screening] ──> [bio-deactivation treatment] ──> [nutrient-release verification] │ (digestibility/ phosphorus gain) │ ▼ [animal performance/sale] <─── [feed/ingredient formulation] <─────────────────┘ ``` ### Value chain levels | Level | Description | Key inputs/outputs | |:---|:---|:---| | **Raw Material Intake** | receiving soy, legume or cereal meal carrying naturally variable ANF content | **In:** raw plant-based feed/food ingredient.
**Out:** batch pending ANF assessment. | | **ANF Profiling/Screening** | rapidly assessing phytate, trypsin-inhibitor or oligosaccharide content of the incoming batch | **In:** raw batch, NIR/analytical testing.
**Out:** batch-specific ANF profile. | | **Bio-Deactivation Treatment** | applying phytase/protease enzymes or controlled fermentation to neutralize the profiled ANFs | **In:** ANF profile, enzyme/microbial culture.
**Out:** ANF-reduced ingredient. | | **Nutrient-Release Verification** | confirming the phosphorus, mineral or amino-acid release achieved by treatment | **In:** treated ingredient.
**Out:** verified nutrient-release/digestibility metric. | | **Feed/Ingredient Formulation** | incorporating the verified, ANF-reduced ingredient into a finished feed or food formulation | **In:** ANF-reduced ingredient.
**Out:** finished feed/food formulation. | | **Animal Performance/Sale** | measuring growth/digestibility outcomes and selling the finished, ANF-managed formulation | **In:** finished formulation.
**Out:** growth performance data, product sale. | Cross-cutting technologies of the sector: - **Microbial phytase enzymology (Microbial Phytase Enzymology):** Aspergillus- and E. coli-derived phytases that hydrolyze phytic acid's phosphate esters to release bound phosphorus and minerals. - **Controlled fermentation of legume meal (Controlled Fermentation of Legume Meal):** defined fermentation processes degrading trypsin inhibitors, β-conglycinin and galacto-oligosaccharides in soy/legume ingredients. - **Rapid NIR-based ANF analytics (Rapid NIR-Based ANF Analytics):** near-infrared testing enabling frequent, batch-level screening of raw-material ANF variability in place of infrequent lab assays. --- ## US The US contributes an awareness and rapid-testing layer to ANF management, led by a feed-additive originator flagging a long-underestimated risk rather than a phytase-manufacturing base. ### trypsin-inhibitor awareness research, NIR rapid-testing push, protease-based mitigation - **Novus International:** published a decade-plus data review concluding trypsin inhibitors in soybean meal have a more significant impact on protein digestion and amino-acid availability than previously recognized, even after conventional heat processing, and is promoting protease-enzyme supplementation paired with near-infrared (NIR) testing for more frequent raw-material screening than traditional lab methods allow. --- ## CN China anchors large-scale industrial phytase manufacturing aimed at cutting the phosphorus load that plant-based feed's phytic acid content otherwise sends into livestock manure. ### phytase-mediated phosphorus release, manure phosphorus reduction, listed industrial-enzyme scale - **Vland Biotech:** produces a feed-grade phytase that degrades phytate-bound phosphorus in plant-based feed ingredients, releasing bound minerals, amino acids and trace elements for absorption while cutting livestock and poultry manure phosphorus excretion by 30–60%. --- ## EU The EU anchors both next-generation phytase enzyme authorization and a distinct fermentation-based approach targeting non-phytate ANFs in soy, now consolidating under strategic (rather than private-equity) feed- industry ownership. ### next-generation EU-authorized phytase, fermentation-based soy ANF removal, private-equity-to-strategic ownership shift - **DSM-Firmenich:** received EU authorization on 24 September 2024 for HiPhorius, a next-generation phytase for all poultry species, Suidae and fin fish, achieving faster, more complete phytate degradation than earlier-generation phytases and reducing reliance on inorganic phosphorus supplements. - **Hamlet Protein:** produces specialty fermented soy-based protein ingredients holding trypsin-inhibitor, β-conglycinin and galacto-oligosaccharide levels consistently low batch to batch for young-animal diets; acquired by Royal Agrifirm Group in a deal completed May 2026, moving from private-equity to strategic ownership within Agrifirm's Specialties division. --- ## Leading companies and research institutes | Company / Institute | Country | Key products / platforms | Tech features | Status 2026 | |:---|:---|:---|:---|:---| | **DSM-Firmenich** | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | *HiPhorius next-generation phytase* | EU-authorized 24 Sep 2024; poultry, Suidae, fin fish | Commercial | | **Hamlet Protein** | 🇩🇰 Denmark | *Fermented soy protein ingredients* | consistently low ANFs (trypsin inhibitor, β-conglycinin, GOS) batch-to-batch | Commercial | | **Vland Biotech** | 🇨🇳 China | *Feed-grade phytase* | −30 to −60% manure phosphorus excretion | Commercial | | **Novus International** | 🇺🇸 USA | *Trypsin-inhibitor testing & protease program* | NIR rapid ANF screening + protease mitigation | Commercial | --- ## Tech stack and innovations The stack pairs enzymatic and fermentation-based deactivation with rapid analytical screening. 1. **Phytase enzymology (Phytase Enzymology):** - microbial phytases hydrolyze phytic acid's phosphate esters, releasing bound phosphorus, minerals and amino acids that would otherwise pass through the animal unabsorbed. - case: DSM-Firmenich's HiPhorius achieves faster, more complete phytate degradation than earlier-generation phytases, EU-authorized for poultry, pigs and fin fish. 2. **Fermentation-based ANF reduction (Fermentation-Based ANF Reduction):** - controlled microbial fermentation of soybean/legume meal degrades trypsin inhibitors, β-conglycinin and galacto-oligosaccharides that survive conventional heat processing. - case: Hamlet Protein's process holds ANF levels consistently low batch to batch regardless of raw-material variability. 3. **Rapid ANF analytics (Rapid ANF Analytics):** - near-infrared (NIR) and similar rapid-testing technologies screen incoming raw materials for ANF variability far more frequently than traditional lab assays allow. - case: Novus International pairs protease supplementation with NIR testing to catch trypsin-inhibitor variability that traditional testing methods miss. --- ## Value chains and production pipelines ### Industrial pipeline of enzymatic/fermentation ANF deactivation (EU Regulation (EC) 1831/2003 feed-additive framework) ``` ┌───────────────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ 1. Raw material intake │ ───> │ 2. ANF profiling/screening│ └───────────────────────────┘ └───────────────────────────┘ │ ▼ ┌───────────────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ 4. Nutrient-release verif.│ <─── │ 3. Bio-deactivation treat.│ └───────────────────────────┘ └───────────────────────────┘ │ ▼ ┌───────────────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ 5. Feed/ingredient formul.│ ───> │ 6. Animal performance/sale│ └───────────────────────────┘ └───────────────────────────┘ ``` #### Stage 1: Raw material intake Soy, legume or cereal-based feed/food ingredient arrives carrying naturally variable levels of phytate, trypsin inhibitors or oligosaccharides. #### Stage 2: ANF profiling/screening Near-infrared or other rapid analytical testing assesses the batch's specific ANF content, replacing infrequent traditional lab assays. #### Stage 3: Bio-deactivation treatment Phytase or protease enzymes, or a controlled fermentation process, are applied to neutralize the profiled anti-nutritional factors. #### Stage 4: Nutrient-release verification The phosphorus, mineral or amino-acid release achieved by the treatment is confirmed against the pre-treatment baseline. #### Stage 5: Feed/ingredient formulation The verified, ANF-reduced ingredient is incorporated into a finished feed or food formulation. #### Stage 6: Animal performance/sale Growth, digestibility and manure-phosphorus outcomes are measured, and the finished ANF-managed formulation is sold.