Exploring the Role of Postbiotic Metabolites in Enhancing Animal Health and Nutrition: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Probiotics result in several health benefits by modulating the gut microbiome, however, various techno-functional limitations such as viability control prevents their full use in the livestock and poultry feed industries. Therefore, the focus is steadily shifting from probiotics to postbiotics. Postbiotics comprise of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components like cell wall, membranes, exopolysaccharides etc. with or without their metabolites that confer a health benefit on the host. Postbiotics confer various health benefits to the host via modulation of resident microbiota, enhancement of epithelial barrier function, modulation of immune response, modulation of systemic metabolic response and systemic signalling via nervous system.   Postbiotics can thus improve the growth performance in livestock and poultry as well as improve the meat quality because of probable antioxidant effects. The efficacy of a postbiotic is, however, dependent on the method of deactivation used for its production as some methods may denature the potential metabolites. Postbiotics serve as a safe alternative to live probiotic organisms, but they cannot be presumed to be safe solely based on their progenitor microorganism. There is also a need of more studies for safety assessment of postbiotics for effective results. The review thus, discusses about postbiotics and their potential for successful use in livestock.