Project Number: 6226-32000-011-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Jun 20, 2011
End Date: Jun 19, 2016

Objective:
Objective 1: Investigate the use of non-antibiotic compounds as potential intervention/control strategies to reduce the colonization of foodborne pathogens, especially Salmonella and Campylobacter, in poultry. Determine the impact of this intervention on the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Sub-objective 1A: Reduce the incidence of Campylobacter in poultry utilizing a motility enhanced probiotic. Sub-objective 1B: Reduce the incidence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry utilizing caprylic acid. Sub-objective 1C: Reduce the incidence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in turkeys utilizing natural plant extracts trans-cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, thymol, and proanthocyanidins. Sub-objective 1D: Reduce the incidence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in turkeys utilizing combinations of caprylic acid and natural plant extracts trans-cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, thymol, and proanthocyanidins. Objective 2: Determine the role of stress-related factors in the emergence and persistence of foodborne pathogens in poultry from farm to processing, and develop non-antibiotic feed ingredients or other potential interventions for decreasing the impact of those risk factors on pathogen colonization and prevalence in turkeys. Sub-objective 2A: Determine effects of the host stress response on colonization sites and pathogenicity of Escherichia coli in genetic lines of Japanese quail, and determine if heat stress or line affects pathogen virulence and colonization of Salmonella. Sub-objective 2B: Determine effects of the host stress response and heat stress/E. coli challenge on colonization sites and pathogenicity of C. coli in genetic lines of Japanese quail, and determine if heat stress/E. coli challenge affects colonization patterns of Campylobacter. Sub-objective 2C: Determine effects of E. coli challenge and transport stress on colonization sites of C. coli in selected genetic lines of the turkey host. Sub-objective 2D: Develop nonspecific immunomodulators as alternative feed or water ingredients to improve the Japanese quail and turkey stress response, thus decreasing pathogen colonization of commercial turkeys.

Approach:
The goal of this project is to develop novel, non-antibiotic intervention strategies to improve the safety of turkey products with a special emphasis on organic production. These strategies will target both Salmonella and Campylobacter and will include novel motility enhanced probiotics, caprylic acid, and plant-dervied essential oils to reduce colonization of these important foodborne pathogens. The project will also determine the role of production stressors on both host resistance and pathogen virulence and will explore novel plant-based feed ingredients that modulate stress effects on pathogen colonization and persistence.