MAZURI LEAF EATER PRIMATE DIET MINI BISCUIT

Mazuri Leaf-Eater Primate Diet Mini-Biscuit by Mazuri is a complete life-cycle primate food formulated specifically to address the unique and demanding nutritional requirements of folivorous (leaf-eating) primates, a group known to require substantially higher dietary fibre than most other primates. Langurs, howler monkeys, and lemurs have evolved digestive systems closely adapted to high-fibre plant matter, and without an appropriately formulated diet under managed care, they are highly susceptible to gastrointestinal imbalance, metabolic dysfunction, and nutritional deficiency. This compact extruded mini-biscuit form, measuring 1/4" diameter by 1" length, is also well-suited to smaller primate species and can be additionally fed to larger apes such as gorillas and orangutans when a high-fibre dietary profile is clinically appropriate. Free from added sucrose, fructose, and wheat products, this diet supports dental health, metabolic stability, and digestive integrity across all life stages. Animeal is proud to offer Mazuri Leaf-Eater Primate Diet Mini-Biscuit as part of its curated range of scientifically validated exotic animal nutrition for keepers, zoos, and dedicated primate caretakers.

Ingredients:

Dehulled Soybean Meal (Glycine max): Dehulled soybean meal is the primary protein source in this diet, providing a concentrated and highly digestible amino acid profile essential for muscle maintenance, enzyme synthesis, and immune function in primates. The dehulling process removes the fibrous outer hull, increasing the digestibility of the protein fraction and reducing anti-nutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitors that could interfere with protein absorption in the small intestine.

Ground Soybean Hulls: Soybean hulls are a concentrated source of soluble and insoluble dietary fibre that mimics the fermentable fibre fractions found in the leafy browse material that constitutes the natural diet of folivorous primates. In the hindgut, these fibres are fermented by resident microbial populations to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which serve as an energy source for colonocytes and help maintain the structural integrity of the gastrointestinal epithelium.

Ground Corn (Zea mays) and Corn Gluten Meal: Ground corn contributes readily metabolisable energy in the form of starch and provides a complementary amino acid profile, particularly methionine precursors. Corn gluten meal adds concentrated vegetable protein and supplies leucine and other branched-chain amino acids that support lean muscle mass and metabolic function.

Ground Oats (Avena sativa): Oats provide both soluble beta-glucan fibre and a slow-release carbohydrate energy source. Beta-glucan is a well-documented immunomodulatory polysaccharide that supports gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) activity, reinforcing the gut's innate immune barrier. Oats also supply manganese, B vitamins, and silicon, contributing to overall skeletal and metabolic health.

Dried Plain Beet Pulp (Beta vulgaris): Beet pulp is a uniquely balanced fibre source, offering both soluble pectin and insoluble cellulose fractions. Pectin is fermentable by beneficial gut bacteria, supporting a healthy colonic microbiome and producing butyrate, which has anti-inflammatory effects on the intestinal lining. Insoluble cellulose adds bulk to digesta, promoting motility and reducing the risk of gastrointestinal stasis, a potentially fatal condition in folivorous primates under managed care.

Dried Apple Pomace (Malus domestica): Apple pomace contributes additional pectin and polyphenolic compounds, including quercetin, which functions as an antioxidant and mild anti-inflammatory agent at the cellular level. The prebiotic nature of apple pomace also selectively encourages the proliferation of beneficial Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species in the lower gastrointestinal tract.

Soybean Oil (Glycine max): Soybean oil supplies linoleic acid (an omega-6 essential fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 precursor), both of which are critical for maintaining cell membrane fluidity, supporting neurological function, and modulating the systemic inflammatory response. As a highly digestible fat source, it also serves as a caloric density booster for animals with elevated energy requirements.

Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal (Medicago sativa): Alfalfa is a nutritionally dense legume forage that provides natural-source beta-carotene (a provitamin A), chlorophyll, and a rich blend of vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K. It closely mirrors the browse material consumed by leaf-eating primates in the wild and supports carotenoid antioxidant defence, reproductive health, and bone mineralisation.

Dicalcium Phosphate and Calcium Carbonate: These two calcium and phosphorus sources work in tandem to meet the mineral demands of the skeletal system and support calcium-dependent enzymatic processes including muscle contraction, nerve signal transmission, and blood coagulation. Maintaining an appropriate calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is essential in primate diets to prevent metabolic bone disease.

Ground Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum): Flaxseed is included as a plant-derived source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid precursor with well-established anti-inflammatory properties. ALA is converted in tissues to longer-chain omega-3s, supporting brain function, coat condition, and the modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine pathways. Flaxseed also provides lignans, which are phytoestrogenic polyphenols with antioxidant properties.

Brewers Dried Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae): Brewers yeast is a rich natural source of B-complex vitamins, particularly thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and pyridoxine, as well as nucleotides and mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) that have prebiotic properties. MOS competitively excludes pathogenic bacteria from intestinal binding sites, reinforcing the integrity of the gut barrier.

L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Stabilised Vitamin C): Unlike most mammals, primates have lost the ability to synthesise ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) endogenously, making dietary supplementation essential. The stabilised polyphosphate form used in this diet is specifically formulated for enhanced shelf stability, remaining potent for at least one year from the manufacturing date under appropriate storage conditions. At the physiological level, ascorbic acid is indispensable for collagen synthesis, immune cell function, iron absorption, and the neutralisation of reactive oxygen species.

d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Natural Source Vitamin E): Natural-source vitamin E in the d-alpha tocopheryl acetate form is significantly more bioavailable than the synthetic dl-alpha form. Vitamin E functions as a lipid-soluble antioxidant within cell membranes, protecting polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidative damage and supporting immune cell proliferation and reproductive function.

Vitamin A Acetate and Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3): Vitamin A supports epithelial cell differentiation, immune barrier function, and vision in dim-light conditions, all critical to the welfare of primates in managed care. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is the metabolically active form for mammals and is essential for calcium absorption in the intestine, bone mineralisation, and the modulation of immune response through its interaction with the vitamin D receptor (VDR) expressed in most immune cells.

Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Nicotinic Acid, and Vitamin B12: This comprehensive B-vitamin complex targets every major metabolic pathway including amino acid transamination, fatty acid oxidation, DNA synthesis, and energy metabolism via the citric acid cycle. Folic acid and Vitamin B12 are particularly critical in primates for the prevention of megaloblastic anaemia and for supporting neural tube integrity during reproduction.

Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K): Vitamin K is essential for the activation of clotting factors II, VII, IX, and X via gamma-carboxylation, ensuring normal haemostasis. It also activates osteocalcin, a bone matrix protein critical for calcium incorporation into bone tissue.

Choline Chloride: Choline is an essential nutrient for phosphatidylcholine synthesis in cell membranes and for acetylcholine production in the nervous system. It also plays a critical role in hepatic lipid transport, preventing fatty liver accumulation that can occur in primates on nutritionally imbalanced diets.

DL-Methionine: Methionine is a sulphur-containing essential amino acid that is the rate-limiting precursor to cysteine, taurine, and glutathione. It is critical for methylation reactions involved in gene expression, detoxification, and the synthesis of cartilage and connective tissue. Its inclusion ensures the protein profile meets the methionine requirements that plant-based proteins alone may not fully satisfy.

Trace Mineral Complex (Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Ferrous Carbonate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate, Sodium Selenite): This comprehensive trace mineral blend targets thyroid function (iodine), antioxidant enzyme activity (selenium, zinc via superoxide dismutase), haemoglobin and myoglobin synthesis (iron), and bone enzyme activation (manganese). Selenium and zinc, in particular, are critical cofactors for the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase, reinforcing cellular defence against oxidative stress.

Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinus officinalis): Rosemary extract is used as a natural preservative due to its high concentration of carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid, both potent antioxidants that protect dietary fats from lipid peroxidation during storage. This allows Mazuri to maintain the nutritional integrity of the diet's fatty acid profile without relying on synthetic chemical preservatives.