Bioavailability is an important concept in the field of amino acids, as it refers to the proportion of an amino acid that can be digested, absorbed, and used for metabolic functions. Bioavailability coefficients of amino acids in feedstuffs are determined through slope ratio growth assays, which can be costly and time consuming. As a result, there are only a limited number of ingredients and amino acids for which bioavailability coefficients have been determined, and such coefficients are not routinely used in feed formulation.

However, the use of bioavailability coefficients is important for heat-processed or long-stored ingredients, as the bioavailability of certain amino acids, such as lysine, can be negatively impacted by these treatments. Lysine can become biologically unavailable by complexing with reducing compounds in the feed.

To address this issue, there are efforts underway to develop simpler methods for estimating amino acid bioavailability in feedstuffs. One such method is the reactive lysine technique, which assesses the bioavailability of lysine in feedstuffs that have undergone heat processing or have been stored for a long time under conditions that may compromise lysine availability. Another method is the determination of metabolic availability, which estimates the proportion of an amino acid that is used for body protein synthesis.

Currently, these methods have only been used in limited capacities, and there are still questions that need to be addressed before they can find routine use in assessing amino acid bioavailability in feedstuffs.

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Overall, the concept of bioavailability is an important one to consider when formulating diets for animals or seeking nutritional supplements to manage a health condition like diabetes. While there are challenges to determining bioavailability coefficients, ongoing research is exploring simpler methods to estimate amino acid bioavailability in feedstuffs, which could have significant impacts in the field of animal nutrition.