Food supplements: amino acids and vitamins

Amino acids and vitamins are essential for life. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, crucial as enzymes or structural components in all cells. While vitamins are needed in small amounts, they play key roles in metabolic reactions. Humans and animals must obtain eight essential amino acids and most vitamins from their diet since they cannot produce them internally.

Shortages of these essential nutrients can occur, requiring supplementation. Industrial processes utilize microorganisms to produce nearly all amino acids and some vitamins. For example, the production of L-lysine, a feed additive, amounts to several million tons annually. Adding biotechnologically produced amino acids to vegetable feed not only enhances feed efficiency but also benefits the environment.