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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #107559
Title: EFFECT OF TANNIC ACID ON CECAL VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM COLONIZATION IN BROILER CHICKS

Author
item Kubena, Leon
item Byrd Ii, James - Allen
item Young, Colin
item Corrier, Donald

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/11/2001
Publication Date: 9/1/2001
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: In recent years, there has been increased consumer concern regarding the contamination of products with salmonellae. Poultry products are among those products sometimes contaminated with various types of Salmonella and are a source of human salmonellosis. Factors involved in preventing young chicks from being colonized by salmonellae are the early establishment of microflora in the gastrointestinal tract and the production of volatile fatty acids, such as propionic acid. Adequate information is not available on the effects of various components of the diets on the chick microflora and the resistance to salmonellae colonization. Some grain sorghum varieties available for use in poultry diets are known to contain high levels of tannins or tannic acid. In the present study, chicks were fed diets containing no tannic acid and diets containing tannic acid to determine its effects on the amounts of volatile fatty acids and colonization of the chicks by Salmonella. Feeding chicks tannic acid had variable effects on the amounts of volatile fatty acids but did not increase colonization by Salmonella. Weight gain was reduced by tannic acid at concentrations of .75% to 1.50%. This information will alert the poultry industry to the fact that toxins in the diet may influence the occurrence of Salmonella in the chicks and is an important consideration in planning an overall salmonellae protection plan to insure a continued supply of safe poultry products for consumers.

Technical Abstract: In recent years, there has been increased consumer concern regarding the contamination of products with salmonellae. Poultry products are among those products sometimes contaminated with various types of Salmonella and are a source of human salmonellosis. Factors involved in preventing young chicks from being colonized by salmonellae are the early establishment of microflora in the gastrointestinal tract and the production of volatile fatty acids, such as propionic acid. Adequate information is not available on the effects of various components of the diets on the chick microflora and the resistance to salmonellae colonization. Some grain sorghum varieties available for use in poultry diets are known to contain high levels of tannins or tannic acid. In the present study, chicks were fed diets containing no tannic acid and diets containing tannic acid to determine its effects on the amounts of volatile fatty acids and colonization of the chicks by Salmonella. Feeding chicks tannic acid had variable effects on the amounts of volatile fatty acids but did not increase colonization by Salmonella. Weight gain was reduced by tannic acid at concentrations of .75% to 1.50%. This information will be useful to the poultry industry when determining factors that may influence the occurrence of Salmonella in the chicks and is an important consideration in planning an overall salmonellae protection plan to insure a continued supply of safe poultry products for consumers.