2. Types of acidifiers and their advantages and disadvantages
1) Inorganic acidifier
Inorganic acidifying agents include hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid is mainly used in production. Its advantages are stronger acidity and lower added cost. The rapid dissociation of inorganic acids can cause the pH of the animal's esophagus and stomach to drop sharply, which may burn the esophagus and stomach, inhibit gastric acid secretion and normal development of gastric function. In addition, the effect of reducing the pH value of the inorganic acid can only reach the stomach, but not the back of the intestinal tract. Therefore, the role of the inorganic acid in inhibiting harmful bacteria by reducing the pH value is very limited. In addition, inorganic acids may also disrupt the electrolyte balance of the diet and cause a decline in feed intake, which seriously affects feed compensation and animal growth.
2) Organic acidifier
The price of organic acidifier is high, but the flavor is good, and it has strong bacteriostatic effect, and it has a better effect in promoting the growth performance of piglets. After an in-depth discussion of the mechanism of action of organic acids, people divided organic acids into two categories: ① The effect of indirectly reducing the number of harmful bacteria can only be achieved by lowering the pH of the gastrointestinal tract environment, such as fumaric acid, citric acid, Macromolecular organic acids such as malic acid and lactic acid. These organic acids can only play their role in the stomach and cannot lower the pH in the small intestine; and because of their large molecular weight and the release of less hydrogen ions per unit weight of acid molecules, their pH-lowering effect is also greater than that of small molecule organics. Poor acid. ② Not only can reduce the pH value in the environment, but also have an inhibitory effect on Gram-negative bacteria, because they can destroy the bacterial cell membrane and interfere with the synthesis of bacterial enzymes, which in turn affects the replication of bacterial DNA, and finally has an anti-gram-negative effect . Such organic acids include small molecule organic acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid.
3) Composite acidifier
Complex acidifier is compounded by using various specific organic and inorganic acids. The composite acidifier overcomes the shortcomings of a single type acidifier with a single function, a large amount of addition, and strong corrosion. The components of the high-quality composite acidifier can play a good synergistic effect with each other, which can greatly improve the product's function, not only can reduce the pH of the gastrointestinal tract, but also has a good antibacterial and bactericidal effect. The function of the acidifying agent is generally superior to that of the single type. Now it has gradually replaced a single type of acidifier and has become the trend of the development of feed acidifiers.