In recent years, the salty snack market has undergone a significant evolution, with a growing interest in functional products enriched with health-promoting ingredients. According to Mintel’s 2024 research1, the “Better-for-you snacks” trend is driving innovation in the sector, with consumers increasingly attentive to the nutritional value of snacks and the presence of natural and functional ingredients. In this context, nutraceutical yeasts, such as those developed by Prosol, represent a key opportunity for snack manufacturers seeking innovative and healthy solutions.

Nutraceutical Yeasts in Functional Snacks

Inactive yeasts with high protein content and yeast extracts rich in nucleotides offer numerous benefits for the snack industry. Thanks to their nutritional profile and sensory properties, these ingredients can be used to enhance both the nutritional quality and taste of salty snacks.

1. High-Quality Protein with a Complete Amino Acid Profile

According to Mintel, 35% of global consumers seek snacks with higher protein content to support a healthy and active lifestyle¹. A major challenge in the development of high-protein plant-based snacks is achieving a complete amino acid profile, as many plant proteins lack certain essential amino acids, limiting their nutritional effectiveness. Prosol’s inactive yeasts and nutritional yeasts provide a rich protein source with a well-balanced amino acid composition, making them an excellent alternative or complement to traditional plant-based proteins such as pea or soy. This enables the creation of protein-rich snacks with superior nutritional value, catering to the increasing demand for plant-based and functional foods.

2. Immune Support and Health Benefits

The interest in functional snacks is rapidly growing, with a particular focus on ingredients that support the immune system. Yeast extracts rich in nucleotides, like those developed by Prosol, are known for their role in strengthening the body’s defences and improving gut health. Including these ingredients in salty snacks provides added value to health-conscious consumers.

3. Natural Umami and Sodium Reduction

Another crucial aspect for snack manufacturers is optimizing flavours without relying on artificial enhancers. Mintel research highlights that 42% of consumers desire snacks with intense flavours but less sodium¹. Yeast extracts, thanks to their high nucleotide content, offer a natural alternative to monosodium glutamate (MSG) and enhance the umami profile of snacks such as chips, popcorn, and seasoned nut mixes.

The possibilities for using nutraceutical yeasts in salty snacks are numerous:

Protein crackers and breadsticks: enriched with autolyzed yeasts for balanced protein intake.

Gourmet popcorn: with yeast extracts for a natural umami taste without artificial additives.

Plant-based protein chips: featuring proteins from autolyzed yeasts for greater satiety.

Legume-based snacks: enhanced with nucleotides for a richer and more balanced flavor.

Integrating nutraceutical yeasts into snacks offers a concrete response to modern consumer demands for tasty, natural, and functionally beneficial products. Thanks to inactive yeasts and yeasts extracts rich in nucleotides, manufacturers can develop innovative snacks that align with global trends in health, wellness, and sustainability. With the market continuously evolving, the ingredients developed by Prosol provide a competitive advantage for those looking to differentiate themselves and meet new consumer expectations.

¹ Mintel, A Year of Innovation in the Salty Snacks and Fruit Mixes Market 2024

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In recent years, yeast extracts have been gaining popularity in the food industry due to their ability to modulate taste, enrich nutritional value and improve the flavour of foods. They represent a versatile and sustainable solution for various culinary and nutritional applications, responding to the needs of increasingly health-conscious and quality-conscious consumers. Safe and nutritious ingredients are now considered a high quality natural product, capable of satisfying various taste requirements and providing essential dietary nutrients [1,2], attracting increasing attention due to their low cost of production, wide range of available sources and high content of vitamins, proteins and minerals that are increasingly in demand. In addition to the variety of physiologically valuable substances, their high antioxidant capacity is extremely useful for the food industry [3].

Brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is the most commonly used source for the production of yeast extracts [4]: the cell wall of brewer’s yeast contains a high percentage (15-30% of the cell’s dry mass) of cross-linked polysaccharides, mainly mannose-oligosaccharides and β-glucans [5,6]. The β-glucan product obtained from brewer’s yeast has antibacterial, antioxidant and various other biological activities, making it not only a food additive and dietary supplement to promote digestion, but also an agent that boosts human immunity and reduces lipids in the liver and blood.

As production technology has improved, the applications of yeast extract have expanded from animal feed to amino acid and protein products for human consumption, immunostimulants for aquaculture, flavouring agents for meat [7], spice additives, plant growth regulation and soil improvement (Fig. 1) [8].

One of the most appreciated roles of yeast extracts is their ability to enhance the umami flavour, also known as the fifth taste, which gives food a ‘succulent’ and ‘meaty’ note that enhances the complexity of the food. This is made possible by glutamate, an amino acid naturally present in yeast extracts that acts in synergy with free nucleotides such as inosinate and guanylate to intensify the perception of umami flavour. Especially popular in soups, sauces, broths, ready meals and savoury snacks, it offers a natural alternative to monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is often avoided by consumers for health reasons. In addition, the use of yeast extracts reduces the amount of salt required in food preparations, contributing to healthier formulations and responding to the growing focus on reducing sodium in the diet.

In addition to enhancing taste, yeast extracts are rich in essential nutrients, making them ideal for food supplements. They contain B vitamins, protein, essential amino acids and minerals such as zinc, iron and magnesium. These are crucial for several bodily functions, including energy metabolism, the nervous system and red blood cell production, making yeast extracts an excellent option for those seeking to enrich their diet with natural, nutritionally dense supplements.

Recently, research into antioxidant properties has also extended to the cosmetics industry; yeast extract is usually combined with other cosmetic ingredients to formulate sunscreen, moisturising and exfoliating products that protect the skin from oxidative stress. Just for comparison, the antioxidant capacity of yeast extract is ten times that of blueberries [9].

Another advantage of yeast extracts is their ability to modulate bitter taste: thanks to their nucleotide and peptide content, they can mask the bitter and unpleasant notes typical of alternative protein-based foods, without altering the flavour profile. Yeast extracts consist of a combination of proteins, peptides, amino acids, nucleic acids, B vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids and other components. However, the chemical composition of each extract depends on the conditions during yeast culture and extract preparation (Tomé, 2021, Vieira et al., 2016). Glutamic acid and two purine nucleotides (guanosine 5′-monophosphate (GMP) and inosine 5′-monophosphate (IMP)) identified in yeast extracts are known for their ability to enhance and elicit an umami taste (Laffitte et al., 2016, Yamaguchi, 1991). They also contain adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP) (Vieira, Brandão, & Ferreira, 2013), identified as a bitter taste inhibitor (Keast and Breslin, 2002, Ming et al., 1999).

Studies such as the one performed by Keast and Breslin in 2002 suggest that AMP inhibited the bitterness of a pharmaceutical mixture (pseudoephedrine, ranitidine, acetaminophen, quinine and urea) but only reduced the perception of the bitter taste of pseudoephedrine and quinine (Keast & Breslin, 2002).

AMP therefore has an ability to inhibit bitter taste perception, which is particularly useful in sports drinks and snacks, where it is important to balance the taste to make the product more pleasant and balanced.
The ability to modulate bitter taste, which in some respects is still poorly understood, makes yeast extracts a key ingredient in the development of novel food products that satisfy consumer preferences.

Prosol yeast extracts represent a highly valuable multifunctional ingredient for the modern industry, meeting the needs of numerous sectors, from food to supplements to cosmeceuticals. Not only do they improve the taste and flavour of products, naturally enhancing the umami flavour, they also play a crucial role as modulators of bitterness, making formulations more balanced and palatable. This property is particularly useful for masking unwanted notes in complex products such as food supplements and functional preparations.
In addition to their taste benefits, Prosol yeast extracts offer important nutritional enrichment due to their high content of protein, fibre and essential micronutrients. This makes them ideal for the development of food supplements aimed at improving overall well-being, responding to growing consumer demands for more natural and healthy solutions.
In a context of increasing focus on sustainability and health, these extracts also stand out for their versatility and eco-friendly profile, representing a strategic option not only for the food sector, but also for the production of cosmeceuticals. Their nourishing and regenerative properties make them perfect for beauty and skin care formulations, contributing to innovative, high-quality products.

1. Boonraeng S, Foo-Trakul P, Kanlayakrit WJKJ. 2000. Effects of chemical, biochemical and physical treatments on the kinetics and on the role of some endogenous enzymes action of baker’s yeast lysis for food-grade yeast extract production. Kasetsart J. 34: 270-278.
2. Podpora B, Swiderski FJJoFP, Technology. 2018. Spent brewer’s yeast autolysates as a new and valuable component of functional food and dietary supplements. J. Food Process Technol. 6: 1000526.
3. Jacob FF, Striegel L, Rychlik M, Hutzler M, Methner F-J. 2019. Yeast extract production using spent yeast from beer manufacture: influence of industrially applicable disruption methods on selected substance groups with biotechnological relevance. Eur. Food Res. Technol. 245: 1169-82.
4. Takalloo Z, Nikkhah M, Nemati R, Jalilian N, Sajedi RH. 2020. Autolysis, plasmolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis of baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae): a comparative study. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 36: 68. 164 Tao et al. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol.
5. Jouany JP, Yiannikouris A, Bertin G. 2004. The chemical bonds between mycotoxins and cell wall components of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been identified. J. Food Protect. 8: 26-50.
6. Khawaja, Muhammad, Bashir, Jae-Suk, Choi. 2017. Clinical and physiological perspectives of β-glucans: the past, present, and future. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 18: 1906.
7. Rakowska R, Sadowska A, Dybkowska E, Świderski F. 2017. Spent yeast as natural source of functional food additives. Roczniki Państwowego Zakadu Higieny 68: 115-121.
8. Xi Q, Lai W, Cui Y, Wu H, Zhao T. 2019. Effect of yeast extract on seedling growth promotion and soil Improvement in afforestation in a semiarid chestnut soil area. Forests 10: 76.
9. Gaspar LR, Camargo FB, Gianeti MD, Maia Campos PMBG. 2008. Evaluation of dermatological effects of cosmetic formulations containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae extract and vitamins. Food Chem. Toxicol. 46: 3493-500.

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The addition of nucleotides to the diet helps to prevent intestinal dysbiosis. By averting enteritis, nucleotides create the conditions for obtain excellent conversion rates and long-lasting productivity.

Author: Pier Enrico Rossi, DVM

For decades, bacitracin, lincomycin, avoparcin, virginiamycin, tylosin, and avilomycin have enabled the control of necrotic enteritis. Subsequently, regulations aimed at reducing growth-promoting antibiotics, anticoccidials, and ionophores have led to a resurgence of this disease.

The etiological agent of necrotic enteritis is Clostridium perfringens, a Gram-positive, ubiquitous, anaerobic, and spore-forming bacterium. The spores enable Clostridium perfringens to survive in livestock facilities for a long period, facilitating transmission across successive production cycles. In this way it becomes impossible to avoid contact between animals and the bacterium.

Clostridium perfringens strain differ in virulence and their ability to cause disease. The pathogenic strains are able to produce toxins, bacteriocins, and hydrolytic enzymes, enabling them to adhere, form biofilms, and colonize the intestine.

Necrotic enteritis can manifest itself in both clinical and subclinical form. The disease may onset between 2 and 4 weeks of age. The clinical evident phase is short and characterized by depression, ruffled feathers, locomotor ataxia, diarrhoea, and death within a few hours, with a mortality rate that can reach 1% per day.

The subclinical form, difficult to recognize, is the economically most dangerous form; if untreated, it will negatively impact conversion rates and group uniformity. Although it is well-established that pathogenic strains can alter the normal intestinal microflora by replacing commensal (non-pathogenic) clostridia, the only presence of Clostridium perfringens is not sufficient to trigger necrotic enteritis. It is essential an intestinal wall already damaged, as Clostridium perfringens produces alpha-toxin, a phospholipase, a mucolytic enzyme, that allows it to be feed by mucus.

If upstream of Clostridium replication there is an event that triggers increased mucus secretion, the damaged intestine produces T lymphocytes, cytokines, interferon, and interleukins that act on the mucous goblet cells of the intestinal epithelium, activating them and enhancing mucus secretion, thus enabling the proliferation of Clostridium perfringens.

There are many agents that can create damages to the intestinal mucosa: enteric viruses, helminths, mycotoxins, biogenic amines, fat rancidity, and stress. However, the most prevalent pathology is duodenal and jejunal coccidiosis, caused by Eimeria maxima and Eimeria acervuline, which more frequently induce damage to broilers intestines.

Coccidiosis can occur due to increased resistance to coccidiostats or following the use of live vaccines against coccidiosis. These vaccines consist of non-attenuated or minimally attenuated Eimeria species, which must invade the intestinal mucosa and replicate. However, to induce robust immunity, they require three consecutive cycles of infection, risking epithelial damage.

To control coccidiosis and reduce the incidence of necrotic enteritis, a proper rotation of anticoccidial drugs is necessary to preserve their effectiveness. Implementing rotation between drugs and vaccination, based on risk levels and seasonal incidence, along with proper brooder management to promote adequate cycling of oocysts, is crucial to avoid adverse effects and prepare the farm for the occurrence of necrotic enteritis.

The effectiveness of certain polyphenols, combined with plant extracts and minerals, has proven to be effective in reducing the bacterial count in the litter after faecal excretion. This could be a valuable tool in reducing the change of reinfection by Clostridium perfringens.

To prevent alterations that may favour necrotic enteritis, the use of probiotics has become widespread to balance the intestinal microflora. It has been demonstrated that certain strains of lactobacilli—used either alone or in combination with organic acids (formic, propionic, and butyric)—reduce the severity of lesions from haemorrhagic enteritis and the resulting mortality.

Other alternative products, such as MOS or beta-glucans, have demonstrated the ability to reduce the severity of lesions caused by necrotic enteritis due to their anti-inflammatory effects. They promote the secretion of immunoglobulins and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). It is important remark that Clostridium perfringens, like other enteric pathogens, is a highly adaptable microorganism. Therefore, it is necessary to use these products in a balanced way to prevent the development of resistance phenomena.

A promising new opportunity is represented by the use of nucleotides.

The term nucleotide describes a substance composed of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base; the bases are purines and pyrimidines, and the sugar is either ribose or deoxyribose. Nucleotides represent the building blocks of RNA and DNA. Additionally, nucleotides are the constituents of molecules such as ATP, NADP, and NADH, responsible for transferring energy produced by the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins.

In a standard condition, nucleotides are not considered essential nutrients, because they can be synthetized by the organism. Nucleotides become essential in case of insufficient synthesis, specifically during growth and in the presence of pathologies. In particular, rapidly turning-over tissues, such as those in the intestinal mucosa, are unable to produce sufficient quantities of nucleotides to meet their needs. It has been demonstrated that nucleotides provided through nutrition act as growth factors on intestinal cells, promoting their differentiation and maturation. This results in increased thickness of the intestinal mucosa, increased villous height and deeper crypts.

Several studies have demonstrated that the supply of nucleotides through nutrition promotes the increase in digestive enzyme activity and stimulates the growth of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, at the expense of Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli. It is the positive effect of nucleotides on Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria seems to be due to the increased absorption of trace elements in ionic form by enterobacteria.

In addition, the supply of nucleotides has proven to be very useful in the clinical and functional recovery of liver conditions. Nucleotides promote hepatocyte activity through mitochondrial stimulation aimed at stimulating sirtuin production, accelerating protein synthesis and glucose deposition. This prevents the accumulation of cholesterol and other lipids, reducing the risk of hepatic steatosis. In this way, nucleotides can improve animal productive life extension, especially for laying hens.

While it is true that nucleotides are not considered essential because they can be synthesized from simple substances, it is true, however, that in specific phases, the metabolic synthesis processes may not be able to meet their demand.
For example, during periods of rapid cell turnover, such as the normal growth process of the chick. In the first seven days of life, of which the first three define a significant portion of its subsequent performance, the chick grows by about fourfold.

Although nature provides the chick with nutrients through the residue of the yolk sac, this food reserve is insufficient to face the challenges and stress of the very first days of life.

Having a source of soluble nucleotides derived from yeast extraction allows for administration both in drinking water and in feed, right from the very first hours of life. This enables the chick to reach its maximum growth potential through proper development of the enteric system and its correct microbiota.

The benefits become immediately apparent, with a lower viscosity of feces in the first days of life, resulting in a reduced incidence of anal pasting. The litter will also be drier in the early days, showing a clear reduction in foot pad dermatitis (FPD). Furthermore, the growth will demonstrate group uniformity with an improved conversion rate.

The advantages listed so far are particularly evident in broilers, while in the breeding of long-lived animals such as laying hens, the benefits will stem from improved intestinal well-being, the restoration of liver activity, and the ability of nucleotides, once inside a cell, to generate NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a molecule essential for the activity of more than 500 enzymes, including sirtuins. Sirtuin deficiency is a cause of aging. All of this will result in a better conversion rate, a lower percentage of dirty eggs, a reduction in shell fragility, and the extension of productive activity.

 Introduction

Brazil, indeed a blessed nation with a coastline stretching over 8,500 kilometers and, according to sources, holding between 8% and 13.7% of all the freshwater available on the planet, is rightfully positioned as a promising superpower in the global aquaculture context. Despite its challenges, the national aquaculture sector has seen exponential growth in recent years, particularly in shrimp and fish production, driven by both domestic and international demand.

As Brazil’s aquaculture industry continues to expand, it faces various challenges, including the need to meet this growing demand in an environmentally sustainable and economically viable manner. This brings us to a crucial aspect, the optimization of specially formulated diets to meet the specific requirements of cultured shrimp and fish. The composition and quality of raw materials, ingredients, vitamins, and minerals used in aquaculture feed production require special attention from manufacturers, as their quality and efficiency are closely related to performance.

In times of fishmeal and fish oil scarcity and increasing use of vegetable meals, innovative solutions have been transforming shrimp and fish production: the use of nucleotide-enriched diets. These micro components play a pivotal role in the zootechnical performance of aquatic organisms, the robustness of their immune system, and exhibit strong antioxidant properties.

In this context, at Prosol, we invite everyone to embark on this fascinating journey with us to delve a little deeper into what nucleotides are and the role they play in modern aquaculture. This is the path to a new era of success in shrimp and fish production, driven by science and innovation.

Nucleotides are the building blocks of life. They are organic molecules composed of sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base, playing a crucial role in the genetic composition of all living organisms. In essence, nucleotides are the alphabet of the genetic code, forming sequences that make up DNA and RNA. This genetic information serves as the blueprint for the growth, development, reproduction, and functioning of every living organism.

Just for curiosity’s sake, each new cell to be produced requires about ONE BILLION nucleotides to duplicate. In the early stages of aquatic organisms, under conditions of stress and environmental imbalance, during vaccination (in the case of fish), and in cases of tissue damage (such as gills, for example), nucleotide supplementation in feed becomes necessary to ensure that cell multiplication processes meet the specific demands of each challenging situation.

During cell division, DNA is replicated to ensure that each daughter cell inherits the same genetic information as the parent cell. RNA, on the other hand, is essential for protein synthesis, translating DNA information into sequences of amino acids that form proteins, thus playing a vital role in cell function and structure.

Together, DNA and RNA are fundamental to cell division, multiplication, and daily cell operations. Therefore, as essential components of both DNA and RNA, nucleotides play a critical role in improving the overall physiology of cultured organisms, disease prevention and recovery, stress reduction, and promoting better growth rates.

Nucleotides as Health Boosters

Nucleotides act as conductors, orchestrating the essential processes that support the growth, vitality, and robustness of aquatic organisms. They serve as managers in a factory, overseeing the production of crucial proteins for muscular development and a significantly stronger immune system.

Protection and Strengthening

However, nucleotides are not just protein factory managers. In aquaculture, where disease outbreaks and environmental stresses are daily challenges, nucleotides also act as a shield for the immune system, strengthening the natural defenses of aquatic organisms and improving their ability to combat diseases more efficiently.

Nutrient Optimization

As fish and shrimp grow, their energy and nutrient demands also increase significantly, and nucleotides are indispensable for optimizing nutrient utilization, ensuring faster growth and better feed utilization, thus improving feed conversion rates.

Prosol is an Italian company proud to be one of the world’s leading producers of Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) from yeast cells using a solvent-free process. It stands out as one of the few in Europe to adopt this approach, with nucleotides produced from yeast cell RNA hydrolysis forming aqua-Care, a product specifically developed and formulated to meet the demands of key commercially important aquatic species.

Pioneering Aquatic Health and Sustainability

The art of formulating nucleotide-enriched diets has proven to be a revolutionary advancement in contemporary aquaculture. Researchers, scientists, nutritionists, and formulators are developing increasingly specific diets for different species and developmental stages. By measuring and optimizing the most appropriate levels of nucleotides in these diets, these professionals aim to enhance the growth and overall health of aquatic organisms, as well as ensure that they use their food more efficiently, reducing waste and operational costs.

“De Novo” Synthesis – The Secret to Success

However, the power of nucleotides in aquaculture goes beyond nutrition or the health and robustness of aquatic organisms. They also play a fundamental role in de novo synthesis, which we will attempt to explain in a straightforward manner.

De novo synthesis is akin to the ability to create something valuable from basic components. To illustrate, imagine that we are building something important with parts from a construction kit. In this figurative context, the parts are nucleotides, which are the essential building blocks for DNA and RNA synthesis.

In this way, nucleotide-enriched diets provide a significant amount of these fundamental building blocks to aquatic animals. Keeping the same analogy from our earlier example, it’s like offering shrimp a large supply of these “high-quality parts” to build their own DNA and RNA.

Adequate levels of nucleotides in fish and shrimp diets triggers the “de novo” synthesis of DNA and RNA, resulting in faster growth and stronger health. This approach stimulates and boosts aquaculture efficiency with clear results: healthier animals and a more profitable industry. In the next edition of ABCC Magazine, we will continue this article presenting research results that demonstrate the effectiveness of aqua-Care at different concentrations in feeds for Litopenaeus vannamei, in a challenge test with an aggressive strain of Vibrio parahemolyticus.

Article published onABCC Magazine,  FENACAM– Year XXV N. 3 – November 2023 on https://abccam.com.br/2023/11/revista-da-abcc-edicao-fenacam-ano-xxv-n-3-novembro-de-2023/

Author: Marcelo Borba, Aqua Product Manager at Prosol

Email: m.borba@prosol.it