A natural enzyme that helps animals absorb more of the phosphorus within feed. Phosphorus is essential for animal growth, but the primary form of phosphate found in the vegetable products used in animal diets, phytic acid, is largely indigestible. By allowing the digestion of phytic acid, phytase helps increase the amount of phosphorus animals absorb from these feed sources, which also reduces the amount of phosphorus excreted as waste. Some U.S. states mandate that phytase be added to animal diets to reduce phosphorus run-off from animal waste and the resulting algal blooms.
