BETAFIN®: Betaine is a naturally occurring material found within the cells of many food sources, especially sugar beets. Betafin® by DuPont Danisco Animal Nutrition is our brand name for natural, high purity betaine.

Betafin® natural betaine is extracted from sustainable sugar beet molasses and vinasses (fermented molasses), using a patented chromatographic separation process.

Betaine has two important functions in animal nutrition: as an osmolyte and as a methyl donor via transmethylation.

Osmolytes help maintain cellular fluid balance by interacting with water molecules. As a highly efficient osmolyte, Betafin® natural betaine accumulates in cells, protecting them from osmotic stress and dehydration, by maintaining their water and ion balance. Normal cell functions are consequently maintained during periods of osmotic stress. Maintaining water balance in cells is an energy consuming process. Thus Betafin® natural betaine spares valuable metabolic energy in the animal.

A methyl donor both contains and donates methyl groups for many essential biological functions e.g. synthesis of creatine and carnitine associated with generation of metabolic energy, DNA/RNA synthesis, muscle growth and immune cell function. The Betafin® natural betaine molecule contains 3 methyl groups and it can donate some or all of these more efficiently than other potential methyl sources in the feed, such as methionine and choline chloride.