Phytic acid
Phytic acid represent cca 50 - 85 % of Phosphorus in cereals, oilseeds and leguminous seeds. Content of phytic acid in cereal seeds are mentioned this way (REDDY et al. 1982):
| Cereal | |
| Barley | 0,97 - 1,16 % |
| Oats | 0,79 - 1,01 % |
| Rye | 0,97 % |
| Wheat | 0,62 - 1,35 % | Maize | 0,89 - 0,99 % | Rice | 0,34 - 0,89 % |
It's content in endosperm is low, in coat high and it's variable. It is affected by variety, clima, irrigation, soil type and ferlisers application. Phosphorus contained in phytic acid can be used after hydrolysis by phytase.
Microorganisms are main agent of phytic acid decomposition in digestive apparatus. Adult ruminants utilize phosphorus from phytic acid without problems thanks to rumen microorganisms, which decompose it to phosphate ionts. Animals with simple stomach utilize phytic phosphorus very little.
Main place of phytic acid hydrolysis is backside of digestive apparatus in pigs, who is richly settled by microorganisms. Hydrolysis in small intestine incerased three times after addition commercialy produced phytase. Utilization of phytic acid phosphorus is limited in poultry, it fluctuate in wide range (0 - 50 %)