The present study was conducted to explore the bioavailability of chitosan-zinc chelate (CS-Zn) in weaned piglets, and its characteristics of prepared and oral safety were also involved. A total of 210 crossbred weaned piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Large White) with a mean body weight of 6.30 kg were randomly assigned into seven dietary treatments involving a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement with two Zn sources (CS-Zn and ZnSO4) and three levels of added Zn (50, 100, 150 mg Zn/kg) plus a Zn-unsupplemented control diet. The feeding trial lasted 42 days. The AFM image of CS-Zn showed a rougher appearance and smaller size particles. The changes in spectrum peaks evidenced the successful chelating of Zn2+ with chitosan. The XRD patterns revealed the formation of a new crystalline phase. Moreover, the oral acute toxicity test of CS-Zn showed no lethal effects on mice. Weaned piglets fed dietary CS-Zn showed improved weight gain and decreased diarrhea incidence. Additionally, the bioavailability of CS-Zn was higher than that of ZnSO4 in piglets. Taken together, these results indicate that the prepared CS-Zn chelate, with rough surface and crystalline phase, is non-toxic and show enhanced bioavailability.
Keywords: bioavailability; chitosan–zinc chelate; weaned piglets; zinc transporter protein.