Research Publications (Food Safety)

SUMMARYA series of experiments were conducted to measure the effects of adding antimicrobials for 2 d: cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), hydrogen peroxide (HP), and/or sodium bisulfate (SB) to water drinker lines of market-age broilers on water usage, feed consumption, and inoculated Salmonella retention during feed and water withdrawal.

SUMMARYThe increase in multidrug-resistant (MDR) E. coli, which may have been caused by indiscriminate use of antimicrobial agents in humans and animals, has become a serious threat to public health. This study was screened MDR-E. coli isolates from chicken meat in Korea for the presence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes and class 1 integrons to determine the correlation between PMQR genes and class 1 integrons.

SUMMARYTo determine the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes (LM) and other species in different stages of the processing of broiler chickens, comparing a real-time PCR protocol with standard morphological and biochemical proofs as confirmatory tests for LM, 100 samples from 5 monitoring points (carcass after evisceration, carcass after chilling, packaged frozen carcass, knives and boards of the cutting room, and packaged frozen boneless thighs) wer

SUMMARYThe welfare and healthy farming of poultry under intensive rearing conditions are closely related to the farming environment.

SUMMARYWe investigated the antibacterial efficacy of a dairy-origin probiotic bacterium, Propionibacterium freudenreichii freudenreichii B3523 (PF), on a multidrug-resistant strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg (SH) in growing turkeys. In 2 independent experiments, day-old poults (N = 24/experiment) were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups (8 turkeys/group).

SUMMARYRestrictions on the use of antibiotics in broiler chicken production have led to a resurgence in necrotic enteritis (NE) and heightened interest in non-antibiotic alternatives to control the problem.

SUMMARYThe depopulation of healthy birds during a disease outbreak can impact recovery and further disrupt the food supply. In 2015, the United States faced one of the largest outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza ever confirmed. Many of the 7 million pullets depopulated were healthy but could not be moved to laying facilities because of their location in quarantine zones.

SUMMARYCommercial duck hatching eggs have high microbial loads due to their highly soiled nature. Thus, duck hatching eggs are commonly washed in commercial settings. Previous studies with chicken eggs determined that hatching egg sanitization with a combination of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ultraviolet (UV) light decreased the total microbial load on eggshells and improved hatchability.

SUMMARYThe disposal of by-products, such as poultry litter, and carcasses is a serious issue because of risks associated with microbial pathogens, and controlling the pathogen risks requires identifying improved pre-treatment methods capable of inactivating pathogens. As poultry litter and carcasses are known to be major reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli (E.

SUMMARYChitosan is known to have antimicrobial properties against a range of microbes. In this study, three different molecular weight (MW) chitosan preparations were used: low (LMW), medium (MMW), and coarse (CMW), in acetic acid (AA) as carrier to elucidate antimicrobial effects. Broiler cecal contents were inoculated with 105 CFU of S. Typhimurium and cultured anaerobically at 40°C with AA, LMW, MMW, or CMW.

SUMMARYAnimal well-being, evolving feed manufacturing regulations, human health, and consumer perception drive the continued need to provide safe feed to food animals. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of antimicrobial inclusion and conditioning temperature variations on feed manufacturing metrics (EXP1) and the inactivation of Enterococcus faecium, a Salmonella surrogate (EXP2).

SUMMARYAflatoxicosis is a major problem associated with poultry production in the tropics. We tested the ability of 3 low-cost and locally available adsorbents (activated charcoal, bentonite, and fuller's earth) to detoxify poultry feeds contaminated with aflatoxin. Bentonite was the most effective adsorbent and lowered the total aflatoxin concentration from 120 ± 38 μg/kg to 15 ± 5.0 μg/kg.

SUMMARYCampylobacter is a human food-borne pathogen frequently associated with poultry and poultry products and can be found in high numbers within the gut contents of colonized broilers. The number of Campylobacter on broiler carcasses increases markedly during automated defeathering as rubber picker fingers press on the abdomen and can force gut contents out of the cloaca.

SUMMARYOne of the most effective approaches for reducing consumer risk of foodborne illness in poultry is to utilize effective antimicrobials.

SUMMARYWhile the consumption of duck eggs has gained popularity over the past few years, little is known about the prevalence of Salmonella in duck flocks and the associated potential Public Health impact. In order to detect Salmonella infection in duck flocks, sensitive sampling methods are essential; however, sampling costs and the practicalities of sampling have to be reasonable to allow testing on a large scale.

SUMMARYTwo experiments were conducted in a commercial broiler hatchery to evaluate the use of a spray probiotic formulation as an alternative method to control the bacterial bloom within a broiler hatch cabinet vs. formaldehyde fumigation. In Exp 1, 2 independent trials were conducted to compare hatchery sanitation between the current formaldehyde drip method vs. spray application of the probiotic.

SUMMARYIn commercial farming, frequent use of antimicrobial agents probably results in the occurrence of resistance in bacterial flora present in the gastrointestinal tract. Backyard/free range chicken farming is known as a typical example of backyard farming. This kind of poultry farming differs in many ways from commercial poultry farming, e.g., in feeding regimes, antibiotic use, and access to outdoor areas.

SUMMARYEliminating the contamination of broiler carcasses by pathogens such as Salmonella that can cause human illness continues to be a tremendous challenge and concern for the poultry industry and government regulatory agencies. One source for the introduction of these pathogens in poultry production can be the feed.

SUMMARYA variety of necrotic enteritis (NE) research methodologies exist in the literature, many with components that do not represent standard industry practices. The models tested here aimed to investigate multiple NE methods that represent common broiler production systems.

SUMMARYIn 2015, the United States experienced an extensive outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza resulting in the depopulation of 42.1 million commercial egg-laying hens. Existing mass depopulation methods in multilevel caged systems utilized throughout the egg industry provide a challenge for producers and emergency personnel.

SUMMARYFree-range animals with unavoidable exposure to dirt and dung easily carry harmful bacteria, but little is known about the effect of dietary fermented supplement on bacterial loads. This study investigated the effect of fermented broccoli residue (FB) on the growth performance, harmful bacterial loads, and meat antioxidation of free-range broilers from 42 to 84 d of age.

SUMMARYSalmonella enteritidis (S.E.) was the most common serotype in human infections in 2016. Various yeast products have been shown to inhibit colonization of chickens by Salmonella and could be a useful adjunct in an S.E. control strategy. This study sought to determine whether feeding a yeast cell wall product (Celmanax SCP) at 100 ppm to commercial layer pullets either from 1 d to 17 wk or from 10 to 17 wk would affect S.E.

SUMMARYA significant point of entry for Salmonella into a processing plant is within the broilers to be processed. Prior to transport to the processing plant, feed (4 h) and water are withdrawn from the broilers on the farm before they are caught and cooped. During catching, an increased presence of dust in the house air is visible and may affect the presence of bacteria within the broiler's respiratory tract.

SUMMARYAt the end of the production cycle, laying hens are intended for industrial slaughter; however, they may be also being sold to small farmers and thereby transmit pathogens under uncontrolled production practices. This study was developed with the objective of evaluating the physical characteristics of laying birds in the final cycle and investigating Salmonella presence.

SUMMARYThis study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of different levels of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cell wall or a yeast culture in reducing the direct colonization and horizontal transmission of Salmonella Heidelberg in broiler chickens. At d of hatch, 2,000 male broiler chicks were randomly assigned into 5 treatment groups with 8 replicate pens per treatment.