Botanical alternatives to antibiotics for use in organic poultry production

Abstract

The development of antibiotic resistant pathogens has resulted from the use of sub-therapeutic concentrations of antibiotics delivered in poultry feed. Furthermore, there are a number of consumer concerns regarding the use of antibiotics in food animals including residue contamination of poultry products and antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens. These issues have resulted in recommendations to reduce the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in livestock in the United States. Unlike conventional production, organic systems are not permitted to use antibiotics. Thus, both conventional and organic poultry production need alternative methods to improve growth and performance of poultry. Herbs, spices, and various other plant extracts are being evaluated as alternatives to antibiotics and some do have growth promoting effects, antimicrobial properties, and other health-related benefits. This review aims to provide an overview of herbs, spices, and plant extracts, currently defined as phytobiotics as potential feed additives.

Source of Water and Potential Sanitizers and Biological Antimicrobials for Alternative Poultry Processing Food Safety Applications

“…Plant-derived products, or botanicals, have been utilized in food for centuries for flavor enhancement and extension of shelf life (Billing and Sherman, 1998;Smid and Gorris, 1999;Cutter, 2000;Draughon, 2004;Ricke et al, 2005). In 2012, over 1,600 botanicals were marketed as dietary supplements for human consumption and many are organic and generally regarded as safe by the FDA (Food Processing Staff., 2012;Diaz-Sanchez et al, 2015;Center for Food Safety Applied Nutrition, 2018;National Organic Program, 2018). The four major classifications of botanicals are: (1) herbs, such as flowering plants, (2) botanicals, which are parts of a plant such as the bark and roots, (3) essential oils, which are volatile plant compounds, and (4) oleoresins, such as balsam (Windisch and Kroismayr, 2006;Bajpai et al, 2012).…”

“…These compounds have been explored for both preharvest and postharvest applications in poultry. In their comprehensive review, Diaz-Sanchez et al (2015) discussed the application of botanicals to poultry feed and subsequent antimicrobial activities upon administration to birds and thus will not be discussed in the current review. Less information is available regarding plant-based derivative use in poultry processing.…”

“…For instance, thyme oil was found to improve the sensory characteristics of organically aqua-cultured seabass (Kostaki et al, 2009). With many botanicals sold on the organic and natural market, they have the potential to be marketed as natural antimicrobials (Calo et al, 2015;Diaz-Sanchez et al, 2015;Ernst, 2015). Alterations of flavor would not be attractive for large-scale conventional poultry processing where meat product sensory consistency and uniformity is considered critical.…”

It is Time for Action in the Struggle against Antibiotic-Resistance, Let’s Start Reducing or Replacing Antibiotics in Agriculture

“…Reducing the antibiotics and replacing them on farms with new treatments, will be needed. Plant extracts are being assessed as alternatives to antibiotics and some have antimicrobial activity, and other beneficial effects for animal and human health [8]. Moreover, plant-derived compounds have long been used to treat microbial infections and have gained much interest for the treatment of natural form of resistance such as biofilms [9].…”

“…The biological activity of such compounds is that typical of anti-virulence agents, because they do not target bacterial viability, therefore they should impose a low selection pressure rendering less likely the development of resistance. Curcumin and its derivatives, so as essential oils, spices, and various other plant extracts, could reduce or replace the use of antibiotics on the farms [8].…”