Metabolomic Insights into the Potential of Chestnut Biochar as a Functional Feed Ingredient

Biochar is potentially a functional ingredient in animal nutrition that offers health benefits such as detoxification, while also promoting environmental sustainability through carbon sequestration, emission reduction, and its circular production. However, the heterogeneity of commercially available biochar products requires a detailed assessment of their functional properties for applications in animal feed. This study evaluates chestnut biochar from morphological, chemical, and metabolomic perspectives and assesses its functional properties. Metabolomic analysis of a water extract using QTOF HPLC-MS/MS confirmed the presence of bioactive compounds, such as hydroxybenzoic and succinic acids, highlighting its potential as a functional feed ingredient. The chestnut biochar inhibited the growth of the pathogenic E. coli strains F18+ and F4+, with maximum inhibition rates of 15.8% and 28.6%, respectively, after three hours of incubation. The downregulation of genes associated with quorum sensing (MotA, FliA, FtsE, and HflX, involved in biofilm formation and cellular division) suggests that biochar interferes with several aspects of the pathogenic process. Importantly, biochar was not found to adversely affect beneficial probiotic bacteria, such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Limosilactobacillus reuteri. These findings support the potential of chestnut biochar as a versatile ingredient for sustainable animal nutrition, thus promoting animal welfare while offering environmental benefits.