Potassium Diformate As a Non-AGP Feed Additive

Potassium Diformate is a specifically conjugated acid double-salt approved in 2001 in the EU as a non-antibiotic growth promoter (Commission Reg. No.1334/ 2001). Experiments and field applications have proven that the product is safe, highly efficient, non-toxic and residual-free for use in farming animals such as pigs, poultry, fish and shrimp.

Benefits：

1---Support the growth of beneficial microflora and improve gastrointestinal balance.

2---Create an unfavourable condition for Salmonella and other harmful microorganisms and reduce diarrhoea in piglets mainly.

3---Decrease pH value in the intestinal tract.

4---Improve feed conversion as a non-antibiotic for partial replacement of AGPs in growth promotion.

Upon the decomposition of potassium diformate in the gastrointestinal tract, Formic acid (HCOOH) potassium ions (K+) are released.

Formic acid releases hydrogen ions (H+) and formate ions (HCOO-) in the intracellular environment of bacteria. It lowers the pH of the digestive tract, thereby reducing the number of various microorganisms in the digestive tract and improving the composition structure of the gut microbiota. At the same time, it affects the metabolism of proteins and nucleic acids of microorganisms (e.g., intestinal bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella), thereby inhibiting the growth and reproduction of microorganisms.

The released potassium ions (K+) can improve lysine utilisation in the pig intestine.

Potassium diformate is a strong acidifier released slowly in the digestive tract with high buffering properties, which prevents excessive fluctuations in the acidity of the gastrointestinal tract of animals. Studies have shown that 85% of potassium diformate passes through the pig’s stomach and enters the duodenum in its intact form. The retrieving of formate is 83% in the duodenum, 38% in the anterior part of the jejunum, 17% in the middle part of the jejunum and 19% in the posterior jejunum.

It demonstrated that potassium diformate has a specific retrieving rate at different points in the digestive tract, indicating that the slow-release characteristic can provide antimicrobial capacity throughout the pig’s whole digestive tract.

Therefore, the unique antimicrobial function of potassium diformate is based on the combined action of formic acid and formate.