Quantitation of relationship and development of nutrient prediction with vibrational molecular structure spectral profiles of feedstocks and co-products from canola bio-oil processing

OBJECTIVE: This program aimed to reveal the association of feed intrinsic molecular structure with nutrient supply to animals from canola feedstocks and co-products from bio-oil processing. The special objective of this study was to quantify the relationship between molecular spectral feature and nutrient availability and develop nutrient prediction equation with vibrational molecular structure spectral profiles. METHODS: The samples of feedstock (canola oil seeds) and co-products (meals and pellets) from different bio-oil processing plants in Canada (CA) and China (CH) were submitted to this molecular spectroscopic technique and their protein and carbohydrate related molecular spectral features were associated with the nutritional results obtained through the conventional methods of analyses for chemical and nutrient profiles, rumen degradable and intestinal digestible parameters. RESULTS: The results showed that the spectral structural carbohydrates spectral peak area (ca. 1,487.8 to 1,190.8 cm(−1)) was the carbohydrate structure that was most significant when related to various carbohydrate parameters of canola meals (p<0.05, r>0.50). And spectral total carbohydrate area (ca. 1,198.5 to 934.3 cm(−1)) was most significant when studying the various carbohydrate parameters of canola seeds (p<0.05, r>0.50). The spectral amide structures (ca. 1,721.2 to 1,480.1 cm(−1)) were related to a few chemical and nutrient profiles, Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) fractions, truly absorbable nutrient supply based on the Dutch protein system (DVE/OEB), and NRC systems, and intestinal in vitro protein-related parameters in co-products (canola meals). Besides the spectral amide structures, α-helix height (ca. 1,650.8 to 1,643.1 cm(−1)) and β-sheet height (ca. 1,633.4 to 1,625.7 cm(−1)), and the ratio between them have shown to be related to many protein-related parameters in feedstock (canola oil seeds). Multi-regression analysis resulted in moderate to high R(2) values for some protein related equations for feedstock (canola seeds). Protein related equations for canola meals and carbohydrate related equations for canola meals and seeds resulted in weak R(2) and low p values (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy vibrational molecular spectroscopy can be a useful resource to predict carbohydrate and protein-relates nutritional aspects of canola seeds and meals.