Tasco^® is part of a new generation of natural food ingredients that has surprising benefits on improving animal health and well-being. Its numerous benefits have been brought to light as a result of extensive scientific research into how it affects physiological function of animals. It truly is “Science at Work.”

Although Tasco^® contains many potential bioactive components, the largest unique constituent is the polysaccharide fraction that makes up about 52% of the dry weight. Contained within this fraction are important sources of complex, sulfated polysaccharides that provide Tasco^® with unique properties and distinctive characteristics not found in terrestrial plant sources or other common marine plants.

Role of Polysaccharides – Pathogenic Load Reduction & Disease Prevention
It is now recognized that certain complex polysaccharides can play an effective role in fighting disease and maintaining good health. These polysaccharides include a category called Fucose Containing Polysaccharides (FCP) that comprises approximately 15% of Tasco^®. Considerable research has recently been conducted on fucoidan and other complex fucans that are particular types of FCP.

Approximately 2% of Tasco^® is composed of sulfur that occurs primarily in the form of these complex sulfated polysaccharides. Numerous scientific studies have linked sulfated polysaccharides as having immune system stimulating effects, with roles in cell proliferation, immune cell activation, cell adhesion, cell-to-cell communications, and basic reproduction and fertilization processes.¹

Most cells in the body have complex polysaccharide molecules on their surface. These polysaccharides are often attached to proteins or to lipids and act as active binding sites for various biological functions. In disease situations, bacteria, viruses and parasites utilize these same cell surface polysaccharides to identify animal host cells as the first step in the infection process.

When cells interact with each other, they first come in contact with these cell surface polysaccharides. Current scientific literature has shown that certain sulfated polysaccharides, including FCP, are very effective in reducing pathogenic microbe attacks by blocking these receptors and preventing bacteria, viruses or parasites from finding the binding sites on host cells. This has been shown to reduce the infectivity of the disease, reduce the severity of disease, or prevent establishment of the disease in the host animal.²

Polysaccharides – Effect on GI Tract Microbes
By blocking the attachment of undesirable or pathogenic micro-organisms to host cells, and therefore hindering their growth, conditions are created within the intestinal tract to promote the increase of benefi cial micro-organisms. Once released into the GI tract, the presence of these polysaccharides in Tasco^® affects the micro-flora balance, increasing the number of beneficial micro-organisms, while repressing the number of potentially harmful pathogens.

Sulfated Polysaccharides – Immune Modulator Agents & Stress Resistance
The animal immune system has several different mechanisms for acting as a defensive shield against invading cells (bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc.). It is thought that the unique sulfated polysaccharides contained in Tasco^® work by activating a number of these mechanisms. It has been recently proven that a large part of an animal’s immune status is determined by the health and status of its own GI tract and microflora. By priming and stimulating the immune function of the animal through the GI tract, Tasco^® can increase the animal’s resistance to different stresses if fed under the appropriate conditions.

Administration of prebiotics has also been shown to be beneficial for immune health. Prebiotics provide nutrients to a select group of benefi cial GI tract microorganisms. These micro-organisms act to crowd out pathogenic microbes that might negatively affect the health of the animal, and also provide important sources of nutrients such as vitamins, fatty acids and other bioactives. A healthy GI tract can also better resist pathogenic invaders by having increased gut wall integrity and higher immune competency.

Recent research has shown that polysaccharide extracts from brown seaweeds similar to those in Tasco^® have potent prebiotic effects, surpassing even classical and well-research compounds such as fructo-oligosaccharides and inulin.³ Reseach results on the immune response of beef steers challenged with phytohemagluttinin (PHA) suggest that the immune response was increased after Tasco^® was administered, and that the immune system remained activated for longer periods of time (Table 1) compared to control treatments.⁴

Conclusion
By reducing the conditions for growth of pathogenic microbes, as well as increasing the proportion of beneficial microbes and activating the animal’s own immune system, Tasco^® improves the animal’s overall health status. Reductions in energy used to maintain good health could have signifi cant effects on reducing the animal’s maintenance component of its metabolic rate. This reduced net energy of maintenance allows for more energy to be available for greater value-added production factors such as growth, lactation and reproduction.

Tasco® offers pet food manufacturers an innovative, all-natural, effective nutritional tool to improve animal health. It can result in promoting enhanced digestive tract micro-flora status, increasing stress resistance through activation of the immune system, and addressing subclinical infection in a manner different from that of an antibiotic – all positive characteristics that can contribute to improved overall animal well-being.

1. Berteau et al. 2003 Glycobiology V. 13, 29R-40R
2. Hoshino et al 1998 Biol. Pharm. Bull. V. 21 730-734.
3. Wang et al 2006. Nutr. Res. V. 26, 597-603
4. Allen et al 1996 TAS B.4.2.0704 (TTU/ASL Tech. Bulletin)