Mode of degradation of non-starch polysaccharides by feed enzyme preparations

The solubilisation and recovery of rye and barley non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) after the addition of three levels (5, 10, and 20 g kg−1) of an enzyme preparation, Grindazym GP 5000 have been studied. Duplicate samples were incubated in a pepsin solution for 45 min and then in a pancreatin solution for 2 h. After the incubation, NSP residues were quantified by gas liquid chromatography. In vitro digestion with the pepsin and pancreatin solutions did not modify the amount recovered of insoluble or soluble NSP of both cereals; however, the enzyme preparation solubilised NSP, and hydrolysed both original soluble NSP and those solubilised from the original insoluble NSP of cereals. With low levels of enzyme, the amount of solubilised NSP was higher than the amount of hydrolysed NSP, which increased the recovery of soluble sugars.