Endotoxins are present everywhere in the environment: in the air, the water, soil and in the gastrointestinal tract of animals. Protecting all livestock from their toxic effects should be a priority for everyone from feed to farm.

Endotoxins are toxic molecules which are part of the bacterial cell wall structure. The most well-known endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides (LPS). These are the building blocks of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. LPS are released into the environment when the bacteria  multiply or when their cell membranes rupture through bacterial lysis. LPS are chemically composed of an outer O-polysaccharide chain, an inner R-polysaccharide chain and lipid A (Figure 1). The latter is the toxic part of the molecule. Lipid A is composed of a backbone of two glucosamine units, each of which can be phosphorylated. Attached to this backbone are one or more fatty acids. The number of phosphate groups and fatty acids, the length of the fatty acids, and their distribution along the backbone can differ between bacteria, and these determine
its toxicity...

Non-starch polyssacharide (NSP) degrading enzymes, bacterial endoxylanase in particular, still prove to be very cost effective, even in combination with superdosing of phytase.

Phytase supplementation is not just about liberating phosphorous, as recent publications have shown. The presence of phytate (IP6) in the GI-tract also leads to poor digestion of protein and minerals, increased mucus production, and in general a worse intestinal health. Besides phytate itself, the degradation products of phytate, such as IP5, IP4 and IP3, also exert similar anti-nutritional effects in the animal. Initially, phytase action is degrading one anti-nutrient and simply replacing it...

Masked mycotoxins can escape detection by routine analytical methods, leading to an underestimation of the degree of contamination. Metabolites of DON, one of the most prevalent toxins, can create increased risks in the digestive tracts of animals.

The use of NSP-enzymes not only reduce the anti-nutritional effects of the non-starch polysaccharides, but also create a prebiotic by product which in turn is converted to butyrate. This has both zootechnical as economic benefits.