Implementation

Overview

The advent of antibiotics brought tremendous economic benefits to the livestock industry, significantly boosting the production of animal products and the development of animal husbandry. However, the extensive use of antibiotics in agriculture over time has made it harder to treat animal diseases caused by multiple highly resistant bacteria ^[1].

In 2006, European Union (EU) member states banned all antibiotic growth promoters under European Parliament and Council Regulation EC No. 1831/2003. However, the ban on feed antibiotics led to unforeseen impacts on the EU’s animal production industry, such as an increase in infection rates and a decline in animal productivity. Moreover, the higher disease incidence caused by the ban led to a substantial increase in the use of therapeutic antibiotics and disinfectants, resulting in an overall increase in antibiotic use in animals ^[2]. Unlike the golden era of antibiotic discovery and commercialization, the discovery and development of new antibiotics have sharply decreased over the past decades ^[1], making it difficult to combat resistant bacteria. Coupled with a lack of regulatory enforcement by relevant authorities, the misuse of antibiotics still exists in some countries across Asia, the Americas, and Oceania, exacerbating the future health risks to global safety.

Figure 1 Antibiotic use in livestock globally [3]

To limit antibiotic use while ensuring the productivity of the livestock industry, there is an urgent need for a substitute to antibiotics that can address the increased mortality and morbidity following the removal of antibiotics from animal feed.

Product Usage

Target Audience

Product Advantages

1. High Yield and Purity

2. Simplified Production and Eco-friendliness

3. Multifunctional Applications

These advantages show that the β-glucan produced by the Aureobasidium melanogenum BZWΔags2-1/2 strain holds great potential as an antibiotic alternative, providing essential support for sustainable livestock development and animal health.

Challenges

Farmer Acceptance: While many farmers are willing to use β-glucan under guidance, they may doubt its effectiveness due to a general lack of knowledge about its use in animal feed. Some farmers are reluctant to take on the risks of initial use, especially without field trial data. Additionally, β-glucan may face limited purchasing channels during its initial market launch, particularly in remote areas, affecting farmer acceptance.

Optimal Feed Addition Ratio: The optimal β-glucan addition ratio for different species and growth stages of animals has not been fully determined. For animals such as pigs and poultry, if the β-glucan ratio is too high, it may increase chyme viscosity, affecting feed digestion and nutrient absorption ^[7]. Conversely, if the ratio is too low, it may not significantly enhance animal immunity, leading to unsatisfactory results.

Price: Although β-glucan offers some cost advantages during the production process, its market price as a feed additive may still be relatively high, especially in the early stages of promotion. This could lead some farmers and feed manufacturers to be reluctant to use it on a large scale due to cost considerations. Therefore, finding ways to reduce production costs while ensuring product quality, and developing appropriate pricing strategies for market promotion, will be an important challenge.

Product Legality and Compliance: Since β-glucan is produced by the genetically modified microorganism Aureobasidium melanogenum BZWΔags2-1/2, its legality and compliance are important factors to consider in the promotion process. Different countries and regions have varying regulatory policies regarding genetically modified products, and it may be necessary to obtain the appropriate approvals and certifications before the product can enter the market. Additionally, it is essential to ensure that the product complies with food and feed safety standards throughout the production and usage processes.

Ethical Issues with Genetically Modified Foods: Although there is a broad scientific consensus on the safety of genetic modification technology, public acceptance of genetically modified foods remains controversial ^[8]. Some consumers and non-governmental organizations oppose genetically modified foods, which could impact the promotion of β-glucan as a feed additive. Therefore, effectively educating the public, raising awareness about genetic modification technology, and increasing trust in the β-glucan product are challenges that cannot be overlooked.

Future Prospects

1. Optimization and Promotion of Feed Additive Ratios:

In the future, we plan to conduct further experimental studies to determine the optimal β-glucan addition ratio in various animal feeds. This will include systematic testing on different species (such as pigs, cattle, poultry, fish, etc.) and animals at various growth stages to ensure that β-glucan can enhance immunity without affecting feed digestion and nutrient absorption. By accumulating these experimental data, we will be able to provide more precise and reliable usage guidelines to farmers, thereby increasing the acceptance and usage of β-glucan in the livestock industry.

2. Industrial Production and Cost Control:

With advancements in technology and optimization of production processes, the production cost of β-glucan is expected to further decrease. By expanding production scale and streamlining manufacturing processes, we can reduce resource consumption and environmental pollution while maintaining high purity and quality. This will not only help lower the product’s market price but also enhance its competitiveness in the feed market. Additionally, we will actively explore partnerships with biofermentation factories to further promote large-scale production and commercialization of β-glucan.

3. Expansion into Multiple Applications:

While β-glucan’s primary applications are currently concentrated in the livestock and aquaculture industries, its potential extends far beyond these areas. In the future, we will explore applications of β-glucan in other fields, such as:

Food Industry: As a natural thickening agent, β-glucan can be widely applied in food production, such as in dairy products, baked goods, beverages, etc. Its moisturizing, texture-improving properties, and status as a natural dietary fiber give it great potential in the health food market ^[9].

Cosmetic Industry: β-glucan has moisturizing, anti-aging, and wound healing properties, making it suitable for skincare and cosmetic products. In the future, we plan to collaborate with cosmetic companies to develop a series of high-end skincare products containing β-glucan ^[10][11].

Figure 2 Overview of the effects of β-glucan cream on skin application and its potential cellular mechanisms as a skincare product [11]

Pharmaceutical Field: Due to its immune-regulating properties, β-glucan also has broad application prospects in the pharmaceutical and health supplement fields. For example, β-glucan can be developed as an immune booster to improve human health, particularly for individuals with weakened immunity ^[10].

4. International Market Development and Regulatory Adaptation:

With the increasing global demand for antibiotic alternatives ^[1][12], β-glucan is expected to enter feed and food markets in more countries. However, entering the international market requires close attention to the laws and regulations of different countries and ensuring that the product complies with safety standards. We plan to collaborate with agricultural departments, research institutions, and commercial partners in various countries to actively promote the global adoption of β-glucan. During this process, we will also strengthen public science education to help people better understand the safety and benefits of genetic modification technology and increase market acceptance of β-glucan products.

5. Collaboration with Research Institutions and Companies:

To accelerate technological progress and diversify product applications, we will actively seek collaborations with domestic and international research institutions and companies. This cooperation will not only promote β-glucan applications in more fields but also enhance our innovation capability and market competitiveness through shared resources and technology. In the future, we hope to establish a broad industry alliance to jointly advance β-glucan technology, meeting the growing global market demand.

Through these efforts, we believe that β-glucan will soon become an effective alternative to antibiotics and demonstrate its immense application potential in multiple fields. We will continue to focus on technological innovation and market promotion, making β-glucan contribute even more to global agricultural production, food safety, and human health.

References

[1] Stanton, T. B. (2013). A call for antibiotic alternatives research. Trends in Microbiology, 21(3), 111–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2012.11.002
[2] Cheng, G., Hao, H., Xie, S., Wang, X., Dai, M., Huang, L., & Yuan, Z. (2014). Antibiotic alternatives: the substitution of antibiotics in animal husbandry? Frontiers in Microbiology, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2014.00217
[3] Mulchandani, R., Wang, Y., Gilbert, M., & Van Boeckel, T. P. (2023). Global trends in antimicrobial use in food-producing animals: 2020 to 2030. PLOS Global Public Health, 3(2), e0001305. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001305
[4] Varelas, V., Liouni, M., Calokerinos, A. C., & Nerantzis, E. T. (2015). An evaluation study of different methods for the production of β-D-glucan from yeast biomass. Drug Testing and Analysis, 8(1), 46–55. https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.1833
[5] Hadiuzzaman, M., Moniruzzaman, M., Shahjahan, M., Bai, S. C., Min, T., & Hossain, Z. (2022). β-Glucan: Mode of Action and Its Uses in Fish Immunomodulation. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.905986
[6] Rodrigues, M. V., Zanuzzo, F. S., Koch, J. F. A., de Oliveira, C. A. F., Sima, P., & Vetvicka, V. (2020). Development of Fish Immunity and the Role of β-Glucan in Immune Responses. Molecules, 25(22), 5378. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25225378
[7] Edison, L. K., Ragitha, V. M., & Pradeep, N. S. (2022). Beta-Glucanases in Animal Nutrition. In 73–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-6466-4_5
[8] Comstock, G. (2010). Ethics and Genetically Modified Foods. In Food Ethics, 49–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5765-8_4
[9] Kaur, R., Sharma, M., Ji, D., Xu, M., & Agyei, D. (2020). Structural Features, Modification, and Functionalities of Beta-Glucan. Fibers, 8(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/fib8010001
[10] Zhu, F., Du, B., & Xu, B. (2016). A critical review on production and industrial applications of beta-glucans. Food Hydrocolloids, 52, 275–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2015.07.003
[11] Sousa, P., Tavares-Valente, D., Amorim, M., João Azevedo-Silva, Pintado, M., & Fernandes, J. (2023). β-Glucan extracts as high-value multifunctional ingredients for skin health: A review. Carbohydrate Polymers, 322, 121329–121329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121329
[12] Allen, H. K., Trachsel, J., Looft, T., & Casey, T. A. (2014). Finding Alternatives to Antibiotics. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1323(1), 91–100. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12468