Effects of a pea co-product on intestinal integrity and muscle growth in piglets: an in vitro and in vivo approach for the weaning period

Abstract Background Weaning is a critical period for piglets, particularly for intestinal function, as it can cause digestive disorders and compromise growth. The search for new feed ingredients to support this dietary transition appears necessary. Ideally, these resources should be nutritious, sustainable, and not in competition with human foods. In this context, pea cream, a co-product of starch extraction, might be a promising addition to the piglet diet. To investigate its effects during weaning, a complementary approach were used, combining a piglet feeding trial with in vitro digestion and IPEC-J2 cell culture experiments. Digestive contents and tissue samples collected from piglets were used to characterize in vivo response to the diets. In parallel, in vitro digestion was performed, and the resulting digesta were used in IPEC-J2 cultures to assess effects on epithelial cell responses. This study aimed to investigate if pea cream could support intestinal integrity and muscle growth to determine the potential benefits of this new feed for animal health and performance. Results The results showed that, in vitro, the four experimental diets (control, pea cream, pea flour and wood flour) exhibited a high protein hydrolysis (~ 98%). The presence of soluble and insoluble dietary fibers did not affect in vitro protein availability. In vivo, plasma haptoglobin concentrations followed the typical post-weaning pattern, indicating no adverse effects of the diets on this parameter. Intestinal integrity was overall maintained regardless of the diet. Finally, muscle growth measurements indicated an efficient utilization of dietary proteins across all treatments. Conclusion Pea cream appears to be a promising ingredient for piglets, with potential use as a feed ingredient supporting the dietary transition at weaning. The combined in vitro and in vivo approaches provided valuable insights into the digestive processes, and subsequent growth, occurring in piglets. While the in vitro work permitted to characterize pea cream during digestion, the in vivo study confirmed the physiological relevance of these observations through measurements of intestinal integrity, growth performance, and muscle development.