Biogenic amines – an important group of protein degradation products

A wide diversity of intestinal biogenic amines (BA) -producing and biogenic amines -degrading bacterial species have recently been identified. In short, undigested dietary protein that reaches the colon is fermented by microbes possessing amino acid decarboxylase activity into a range of BAs, along with other degradation products such as phenol, cresol, indole, skatole, ammonia, and branched-chain fatty acids. Many of these protein fermentation products are known to have adverse health effects, and high concentrations of these compounds in the gastrointestinal tract are commonly associated with a wide range of diseases and cancer. Origin of biogenic amines In all life forms, […]

Is this family of intestinal bacteria improving animal performance?

The family Erysipelotrichaceae, which is probably quite unknown to most, is an emerging group of bacteria in the phylum Firmicutes, which contains species originally classified into Clostridial subphylum clusters XVI & XVIII. In the cecum of broiler chickens, Erysipelotrichaceae is considered to be part of the core microbiota, comprising a high percentage of total microbiota.