The Savory Signal: How Umami Drives Feed Intake in Piglets

Functional Umami in Swine Nutrition

Taste is more than flavour; it’s a physiological trigger that influences eating behaviour. Umami taste (translating from Japanese as “delicious Savory taste”) is primarily associated with the presence of specific free amino acids. Amino acids naturally stimulate saliva production and enhance appetite, which is key when transitioning piglets to solid feed.

In piglets, feed intake is regulated by multiple mechanisms, including a multi-channel system in which amino acids play a central role. Among these, umami has been scientifically shown to be triggered by eight free amino acids: alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine, proline, serine and threonine.

These activate appetite related chemosensory pathways and promote eating behaviour (Roura et al., 2011). Importantly, umami receptors are not confined to the tongue; they are expressed throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract, where they act as nutrient sensors that further stimulate hormonal and neural signalling involved in appetite regulation. The dual action of oral taste perception – combined with gut nutrient sensing – reinforces early and frequent feed intake in post-weaning piglets.

Umami compounds naturally present in feed can trigger these appetite reflexes, encouraging piglets to start eating sooner. Unlike synthetic additives, umami originates from natural ingredients such as yeast extracts, hydrolysed proteins, or plant-based alternatives, supporting nutritional strategies whilst fulfilling the growing demand for natural feed formulations.

Why Early Feed Intake Matters

The post-weaning period is one of the most critical phases in pig production. Piglets face abrupt changes: separation from the sow, transition to solid feed, and an immature digestive system struggling to adapt. These stressors often lead to temporary fasting, low energy intake and impaired gut function. Early and consistent feed intake helps stabilise stomach pH, stimulate digestive enzymes, support gut maturation and set piglets up for optimal performance.

YELA PROSECURE: Harnessing Umami for Optimal Feed Intake

Due to its controlled hydrolysis process, 94% of the soluble protein fraction from YELA PROSECURE — a specific functional hydrolysed yeast from Lallemand — consists of free amino acids and small peptides, making the product highly digestible and bioavailable for piglet digestion. Due to the comprehensive and well-balanced range of primary and secondary amino acids, YELA PROSECURE enhances the feed intake of piglets through different complementary mechanisms, including the umami channel (Figure 1).

Figure 1. YELA PROSECURE, thanks to its full and balanced range of amino acids, contributes to enhanced feed appetibility.

Beyond umami, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) — such as leucine, isoleucine and valine — trigger signalling pathways between intestinal cells and the brain, stimulating feed intake, while amino acids like tryptophan and phenylalanine, which are precursor of serotonin, modulate hormonal systems to regulate appetite. Glutamic acid further reinforces this effect. YELA PROSECURE enhances palatability and supports the physiological mechanisms that drive early and consistent feed consumption by providing these key amino acids in a readily available form.

Beneficial Effects on Feed Intake and Growth

Several trials demonstrate the consistent and beneficial effects of YELA PROSECURE on piglet feed intake and growth within different nutritional strategies. In a research trial conducted with 28-day-old piglets, YELA PROSECURE supplementation improved zootechnical performance, with animals achieving significantly greater average daily feed intake (ADFI) and average daily gain (ADG) compared with the control group (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Research farm, Spain, 2020 – P < 0.005. Feed conversion ratio: Control data normalized at 100 value – YPS data relative value compared to control (Bravo de Laguna et al., 2025)

Feeding The Piglet, Feeding the Gut

YELA PROSECURE is designed to deliver multiple functionalities — not just palatability. Beyond flavour, YELA PROSECURE’s high level of free amino acids and small peptides shows a flash and fast protein digestibility kinetic with 77% digestibility measured right after the stomach and more than 90% after 3 hours of the intestinal phase.  Supplying animals with a flash and fast digestible protein source, rich in free amino acids and small peptides, helps them easily absorb and use those nutrients. It supports animal performance, maintains digestive health and fosters feed intake/appetite regulation while contributing to the feed protein balance. This is particularly of interest when fed during sensitive developmental stages.

YELA PROSECURE is approximately 38% total dietary fibre (fermentable carbohydrates), mainly insoluble, that can be used by hindgut microbial populations. Fibrobacteres and Ruminococcus — bacteria located in the hindgut — are the primary degraders of those fermentable insoluble carbohydrates, leading to fibre fermentation. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as acetate, propionate and butyrate (the preferred energy source for the gut), are metabolites of fibre fermentation. SCFA production helps maintain optimal gut integrity with closed tight junctions. In turn, it reduces the risk of inflammation and modulates the gut microbiota. This translates into better growth performance for piglets.

The Bottom Line

Early feed intake isn’t just about providing feed. It’s about activating physiological drivers that help piglets thrive. YELA PROSECURE effectively stimulates appetite while simultaneously supporting digestive and gut health maintenance. This dual action makes it a strong solution for improving post-weaning performance — going well beyond simple taste enhancement.

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