Alternative Feed Ingredients and Enzyme-Enabled Diet Optimization

Global feed output rebounded in 2024, while regulation and sustainability targets are reshaping raw-material choices. Alternative proteins (insects, single-cell protein), upgraded by targeted enzyme systems (NSP complexes, next-gen 6-phytases, biological mycotoxin degraders) and smarter delivery (coating/microencapsulation), are moving from “cost hedges” to core strategy. This article maps the science, policy, and practice—and shows how Sunson operationalizes these shifts for 2025–2026.

1) Market & Policy Signals You Can’t Ignore

Production is up, pressure remains. Alltech’s 2025 Agri-Food Outlook estimates 2024 global feed production rose 1.2% to ~1.396 billion tonnes, led by poultry. It’s a reminder that efficiency levers—nutrition tech, precision formulation—are more critical than ever.

Compliance is now a formulation variable. The EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), now delayed to Dec 2025 for large companies, raises due-diligence and traceability requirements for soy, palm, timber, and more, pushing nutritionists toward more diverse, lower-risk ingredients and certified supply chains.

The takeaway: Procurement, formulation, and sustainability teams are aligning on the same question: how to build resilient, compliant, and lower-carbon diets that still perform. This isn’t a niche concern—it’s the new mainstream.

2) The Alternative Ingredient Landscape

Beyond soy & corn: the new protein map. Insect meal (black soldier fly), single-cell protein (yeast, algae), and upgraded co-products (DDGS, rapeseed, sunflower) are no longer niche. They’re scalable, and in some cases, price-competitive, especially when freight and carbon accounting are factored in.

But variability is the enemy. Nutrient profiles, anti-nutritional factors (ANFs), and mycotoxin loads can shift batch-to-batch. This is where enzyme systems become non-negotiable: they standardize digestibility, unlock hidden energy, and mitigate risk.

3) Enzymes: The Core Enabler

NSPases are table stakes. Non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) enzymes (xylanase, β-glucanase, mannanase) break down fiber, releasing energy and reducing gut viscosity. But the next wave is multi-enzyme blends tailored to specific alternative ingredients (e.g., sunflower meal + pectinase).

Next-gen phytase is about more than phosphorus. 6-phytases are now engineered to work at lower pH and higher temperatures, surviving pelleting and improving mineral and amino acid digestibility—critical in plant-heavy diets.

Biological mycotoxin degraders are here. Unlike binders, these enzymes (e.g., FUMzyme®, AflaZym®) irreversibly break down toxins like fumonisin and aflatoxin into non-toxic metabolites. They’re a must when using drought-stressed or stored co-products.

4) Smarter Delivery = Better ROI

Enzymes are fragile. Heat, shear, and moisture in the feed mill can denature them. That’s why delivery tech matters:

• Coating & microencapsulation protect enzymes through conditioning and pelleting, ensuring they reach the gut intact.
• Liquid post-pelleting systems apply enzymes after heat exposure, maximizing activity.
• Thermostable granules are engineered to withstand high-temp processes without protection.

The best enzyme system is useless if it doesn’t survive your process. Matching the delivery format to your mill conditions is now part of formulation.

5) Sustainability & Compliance: The Audit Trail

LCAs are no longer optional. Retailers, regulators, and ESG investors want proof of lower carbon footprints. Enzyme use directly impacts key LCA metrics:

• Lower phosphorus excretion → less eutrophication.
• Higher energy digestibility → lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) → fewer emissions per kg of meat/milk/egg.
• Reduced mycotoxin risk → lower mortality and waste.

Tools like the Global Feed LCA Institute (GFLI) database and FAO’s LEAP guidelines are becoming the standard. Enzyme suppliers that provide GFLI-compliant data and LCA support are now strategic partners.

6) Sunson’s Approach: Enzymes + Implementation

Sunson doesn’t just sell enzymes—we provide systems. Our 2025 portfolio includes:

• Targeted NSP complexes for corn-SBM, wheat-barley, and alternative ingredient diets.
• Next-gen 6-phytase with high thermostability and broad pH efficacy.
• Biological mycotoxin degraders validated for major toxins.
• Delivery formats (coated, liquid, thermostable granules) matched to mill conditions.

But the real value is in implementation support: helping customers match enzymes to raw material variability, validate post-pelleting recovery, and document LCA impacts for compliance and marketing claims.

7) Case in Point: Insect Meal + Enzymes

Insect meal is high in protein and fat, but also chitin (a fiber that can impair digestibility). Sunson’s chitinase + protease blends break down chitin, unlocking amino acids and improving FCR in poultry and aqua diets. Result: insect meal performs closer to fishmeal or SBM, making it a viable, scalable alternative.

8) Preparing for EUDR and Beyond

For producers exporting to the EU, EUDR compliance means traceability and deforestation-free sourcing. But it also means demonstrating lower environmental impact. Enzyme use is a documented, science-backed lever to reduce the carbon and land-use footprint of feed—critical for EUDR risk assessments and brand claims. Sunson can provide performance data, backed by LEAP-aligned documentation and GFLI-compatible data inputs, to support brands and export claims under EUDR scrutiny.

9) The 2025 Formulation Checklist

• Anchor on variability. Start with your co-product slate; pick an NSP complex + 6-phytase as your base, then add protease/α-galactosidase/mannanase as needed by your ANF map.
• Design for the feed mill. Confirm conditioning temp/time and moisture; choose enzyme sources or coating/microencapsulation formats proven in your process conditions.
• Close the loop. Monitor post-pelleting enzyme recovery and animal response; update matrix values by species/stage.
• Document impact. Correlate performance with GFLI/LEAP outputs (P reduction, methane intensity for dairy on 3-NOP, land-use risk).
• Stay audit-ready. Track soy/palm origins against 2025–2026 EUDR timelines and risk tiers.

Final word

Alternative ingredients aren’t just hedges against price spikes—they’re a path to resilient, lower-risk, lower-carbon feed systems. The biggest unlock is no longer a single “super additive,” but well-designed enzyme systems delivered reliably through the mill and measured credibly in LCA. With a broad enzyme toolbox, process-aware implementation, and compliance-ready documentation, Sunson is positioned to help global producers make unconventional diets perform—and audit—like mainstream ones.