Efficacy of natural cranberry extracts against campylobacter colonization in poultry

Authors: WOO-MING, ANN - University Of Arkansas; ARSI, KOMALA - University Of Arkansas; Donoghue, Ann - Annie; MOYLE, JONATHAN - University Of Maryland; BLORE, PAMELA - University Of Arkansas; DONOGHUE, DAN - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: International Journal of Food Engineering
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/30/2015
Publication Date: 6/18/2016
Citation: Woo-Ming, A., Arsi, K., Donoghue, A.M., Moyle, J.R., Blore, P.J., Donoghue, D.J. 2016. Efficacy of natural cranberry extracts against campylobacter colonization in poultry. International Journal of Food Engineering. 2(1):66-70.

Interpretive Summary: Campylobacter spp. has been identified as one of the leading causative agents of food borne diarrheal illness. Epi-demiological evidence has shown that poultry is the main source for human infection. Currently there are no consistently effective treatments to eliminate Campylobacter from poultry flocks. Extracts from American Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) contain proanthocyanidins which have demonstrated antimicrobial activity against food borne pathogens including E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, but their efficacy against Campylobacter in chickens has not been reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of two different cranberry extracts, either containing a lower (1%, L-PAC) or high concentration (30%, H-PAC) of proanthocyanidins, to inhibit the growth of Campylobacter, in vitro and in vivo. In replicate in vitro trials, 1% treatment of L-PAC or H-PAC produced variable reductions of between 1 – 5 logs, and the 2 or 4% treatments produced at least a 5 log reduction in Campylobacter counts when compared to controls 8 or 24 hours after inoculation for both the L-PAC or H-PAC. Two replicate in vivo studies were conducted and in each study, 70 day-of-hatch birds were randomly divided into seven treatment groups (n=10 birds/treatment) and each group was given either 0% (control) or L-PAC (0.5%, 1% or 2%) or H-PAC (0.5%, 1% or 2%) in the feed throughout the 14 day study period. At day 7 all birds were challenged with a 3 strain mixture of wild type Campylobacter jejuni strains by oral gavage (approximately 1x106 CFU/mL). On day 14, cecal contents were collected for enumeration of Campylobacter. In both trials cecal Campylobacter counts were not reduced by administration of L-PAC or H-PAC in the feed. Although highly effective in vitro, further evaluation is needed to determine optimum concentrations of cranberry proanthocyanidins to reduce Campylobacter in poultry

Technical Abstract: Campylobacter spp. has been identified as one of the leading causative agents of food borne diarrheal illness. Epi-demiological evidence has shown that poultry is the main source for human infection. Currently there are no consistently effective treatments to eliminate Campylobacter from poultry flocks. Extracts from American Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) contain proanthocyanidins which have demonstrated antimicrobial activity against food borne pathogens including E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, but their efficacy against Campylobacter in chickens has not been reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of two different cranberry extracts, either containing a lower (1%, L-PAC) or high concentration (30%, H-PAC) of proanthocyanidins, to inhibit the growth of Campylobacter, in vitro and in vivo. In replicate in vitro trials, 1% treatment of L-PAC or H-PAC produced variable reductions of between 1 – 5 logs, and the 2 or 4% treatments produced at least a 5 log reduction in Campylobacter counts when compared to controls 8 or 24 hours after inoculation for both the L-PAC or H-PAC. Two replicate in vivo studies were conducted and in each study, 70 day-of-hatch birds were randomly divided into seven treatment groups (n=10 birds/treatment) and each group was given either 0% (control) or L-PAC (0.5%, 1% or 2%) or H-PAC (0.5%, 1% or 2%) in the feed throughout the 14 day study period. At day 7 all birds were challenged with a 3 strain mixture of wild type Campylobacter jejuni strains by oral gavage (approximately 1x106 CFU/mL). On day 14, cecal contents were collected for enumeration of Campylobacter. In both trials cecal Campylobacter counts were not reduced by administration of L-PAC or H-PAC in the feed. Although highly effective in vitro, further evaluation is needed to determine optimum concentrations of cranberry proanthocyanidins to reduce Campylobacter in poultry