As a sweetener, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC) is increasingly used in the field of feed additives. The following are the application characteristics and effects of NHDC in feed additives:
1. Enhance the taste of feed: NHDC can improve the flavor of feed and make it super sweet, thereby increasing the appetite of young animals such as piglets, promoting their growth, and reducing feed consumption per kilogram of weight gain.
2. Improve feed palatability: When NHDC is used in combination with other sweeteners such as saccharin, it can produce a synergistic effect, improve the flavor and palatability of feed, and mask and improve the unpleasant bitter taste of certain ingredients in the diet.
3. Promote animal growth: The addition of NHDC can promote animal growth and improve growth efficiency, which has a positive effect on improving the economic benefits of animal husbandry.
4. Regulate intestinal flora: NHDC has a prebiotic-like effect, which can affect the symbiotic intestinal flora, regulate the immunity of the animal body, reduce intestinal diseases, and thus improve the overall health of the animal.
5. Replace or reduce drug additives: NHDC can be used in combination with polysaccharides to replace or reduce the use of drug additives such as antibiotics and growth hormones, which helps to produce safer animal-derived food.
6. Safety: NHDC is considered a safe feed additive and has been included in the food additive standards of many countries and regions, such as China’s GB2760. the US GRAS list, and the EU’s food flavoring agent list.
7. Detection method: For the detection of NHDC in feed, methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography have been developed to ensure its safe use in feed.