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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 #304388
Title: Organic acid blend with pure botanical product treatment reduces Escherichia coli and Salmonella populations in pure culture and in in vitro mixed ruminal microorganism fermentations

Author
item GRILLI, ESTER - University Of Bologna
item BARRI, RICARDO - University Of Bologna
item PIVA, ANDREA - University Of Bologna
item Edrington, Thomas
item PITTA, DIPTA - Texas A&M University
item PINCHAK, WILLIAM - Texas A&M University
item Nisbet, David
item Callaway, Todd

Submitted to: Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/10/2014
Publication Date: 1/5/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61277
Citation: Grilli, E., Barri, R., Piva, A., Edrington, T.S., Pitta, D., Pinchak, W., Nisbet, D.J., Callaway, T.R. 2015. Organic acid blend with pure botanical product treatment reduces E. coli and Salmonella populations in pure culture and in in vitro mixed ruminal microorganism fermentations. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. 12:56-61.

Interpretive Summary: Foodborne pathogenic bacteria can live in the intestinal tract of food animals and can be transmitted to humans via food. Organic acids can be used as non-antibiotic methods to change the microbial population of the gastrointestinal tract, and botanical compounds have been used to reduce pathogens. A commercial organic acid and botanical blend product (OABP) was tested for its effects on populations of the foodborne pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium. Growth rates and final populations of these pathogens were reduced by the addition of OABP at concentrations greater than 2% in pure culture. When examined in mixed gastrointestinal culture fermentations, OABP reduced populations when present at greater than 5% concentrations. Results indicate that organic acid products, such as OABP, can enhance animal productivity and can be used to reduce populations of pathogenic bacteria.

Technical Abstract: Foodborne pathogenic bacteria can live in the intestinal tract of food animals and can be transmitted to humans via food or indirectly through animal or fecal contact. Organic acid blend products have been used as non-antibiotic modifiers of the gastrointestinal fermentation of food animals to improve growth performance efficiency. However, the impact of these organic acid products on the microbial population, including foodborne pathogens, remains unknown. Therefore, this study was designed to examine the effects of a commercial organic acid and botanical blend product (OABP) on populations of the foodborne pathogenic bacteria, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium. Pure cultures (2 x 106 CFU/ml) of each pathogen were added to tubes that contained water-solubilized Aviplus added at 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, and 10 % (v/v; n = 3). Water-solubilized OABP reduced (P < 0.05) the growth rate and final populations of E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium in pure culture at concentrations greater than 2%. E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium were added (2 x 105 and 3 x 106 CFU/ml, respectively) to in vitro mixed ruminal microorganism fermentations that contained water-solubilized OABP at concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10% (v/v; n = 3) that were incubated for 24 h. OABP addition reduced (P< 0.05) final populations of E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium in the ruminal fluid at concentrations > 5%. The A:P ratios from the in vitro fermentations were reduced (P < 0.05) by OABP treatment > 5%. Treatments to reduce foodborne pathogens must be economically feasible to implement, and results indicate that organic acid products, such as OABP, can enhance animal productivity and can be used to reduce populations of pathogenic bacteria.