About the differences between organic zinc and inorganic zinc: inorganic Zinc refers to zinc compounds that do not contain hydrocarbons (usually containing alkyl groups), such as zinc oxide, zinc chloride, zinc nitrate, etc., which are all inorganic zinc. The molecular formula of organic zinc must contain hydrocarbons, such as zinc isooctanoate, zinc naphthenate, dimethyl zinc, laurel dibutyl zinc, etc., which belong to the organic zinc category. From the physical appearance, most of the inorganic zinc is white solid crystal, while part of the organic zinc is liquid and part is solid. Inorganic zinc mostly uses its physical properties as fillers, and organic zinc is used as a catalytic phase for proton transfer to accelerate chemical reactions and in some medical fields.
Organic zinc includes complex zinc, organic chelated zinc, protein zinc salts and polysaccharide zinc complexes. Zinc is mainly absorbed, transported, stored and utilized in the body in an organically bound state. Therefore, it is the organic matter or chelate of zinc that acts in the body, not the free inorganic zinc ions.
Organic zinc has the advantages of high digestion and absorption rate, high biological potency, low requirement, etc., and is useful in improving livestock and poultry production performance and maintaining body health. The good effects of zinc, especially its contribution to ecological and environmental protection, are unmatched by inorganic zinc. However, its addition amount, specific absorption mechanism, metabolic differences between organic and inorganic zinc in exerting biological functions, and the mechanism of action on animals, etc. Further research is needed.
It can meet the animal body’s need for zinc. The utilization rate of inorganic zinc is easily affected by factors such as pH value, feed protein level, vitamins, phosphates, and phytates. The absorption of amino acid chelated zinc relies on the absorption pathway of peptides or amino acids to avoid competition between different minerals and prevent reactions with other nutrients in the diet to reduce the absorption rate, thereby satisfying the animal body’s full absorption and utilization of zinc. .
