Factors affecting storage stability of various commercial phytase sources.

A 360-d study was performed to evaluate the effects of different environmental conditions on storage stability of exogenous phytases. Coated and uncoated products from 3 phytase sources [Ronozyme P (DSM Nutritional Products, Basel, Switzerland), OptiPhos (Phytex LLC, Sheridan, IN), and Phyzyme (Danisco Animal Nutrition, Marlborough, UK)] were stored as pure forms, in a vitamin premix, or in a vitamin and trace mineral (VTM) premix. Pure products were stored at -18, 5, 23, and 37°C (75% humidity). Premixes were stored at 23 and 37°C. Sampling was performed on d 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 270, and 360. Sampling of the pure products stored at -18 (lack of sample) and 5°C (because of mold growth) was discontinued after d 120. Stability was reported as the residual phytase activity (% of initial) at each sampling point. For the stability of the pure forms, all interactive and main effects of the phytase product, coating, time, and storage temperature were significant (P < 0.01), except for the time × coating interaction. When stored at 23°C or less, pure phytases retained at least 91, 85, 78, and 71% of their initial phytase activity at 30, 60, 90, and 120 d of storage, respectively. However, storing pure products at 37°C reduced (P < 0.01) phytase stability, with OptiPhos retaining the most (P < 0.01) activity. Coating mitigated (P < 0.01) the negative effects of high storage temperature for Ronozyme and OptiPhos (from d 90 onward), but not for Phyzyme. For the stability of phytase in different forms of storage, all interactive and main effects of phytase product, form, coating, time, and temperature of storage were significant (P < 0.01). When stored at room temperature (23°C), retained phytase activities for most the phytase sources were more than 85, 73, and 60% of the initial activity up to 180 d when stored as pure products, vitamin premixes, or VTM premixes, respectively. When stored at 37°C, pure phytase products had greater (P < 0.01) retention of initial phytase activity than when phytases were mixed with the vitamin or VTM premixes. Coated phytases stored in any form had greater (P < 0.01) activity retention than the uncoated phytases at all sampling periods. Results indicate that storage stability of commercially available phytases is affected by duration of storage, temperature, product form, coating, and phytase source. Pure products held at 23°C or less were the most stable. In premixes, longer storage times and higher temperatures reduced phytase activity, but coating mitigated some of these negative effects.