Chemical Treatment of Animal Feed and Water for the Control ofSalmonella

Abstract

The control of Salmonella in animal feedstuffs is important, principally to protect the human food chain from contamination by Salmonella derived from infected animals. The transmission of Salmonella from animal feeds to animals, and onward to human food products, has been convincingly documented. This is especially important for chicken breeding and laying flocks and pigs, in view of the consequences of recent or imminent control legislation in the European Union. Animal feed ingredients, particularly animal and plant-derived protein meals, are frequently contaminated with Salmonella either from source or from processing plant, and recontamination in compounding mills is an additional problem. Several complementary strategies have been used to control this feed contamination, and these include a range of chemical treatments. The principal agents used are as follows: organic acids and their salts, formaldehyde, and bacterial membrane disruptors such as terpenes and essential oils. Experimental agents include chlorate compounds. Many products use blends of agents from the same or different chemical groups to achieve synergistic or combination effects. The present review draws upon published and company data to describe the various modes of action and efficacies of different chemical agents delivered in feed or in drinking water against Salmonella occurring in feed or in livestock environments. Reasons for the failure of protection are explored, along with problems in usage such as corrosion and reduced palatability. Given the wide array of products available with contrasting modes of action, the need for standardized tests of efficacy is also discussed.

Nutritional strategies to combat Salmonella in mono-gastric food animal production

“…Salmonella may also be found in compounded feed and even in heat-treated and pelleted feed due to environmental contamination of feed mills and the high likelihood for cross contamination in the feed mill and during transport and storage at the farm (Binter et al, 2011;Jones, 2011). The difficulties in sampling and culturing Salmonella from feed sources may lead to an underestimation of this risk (Davies and Wales, 2010). Many studies indicate and have shown that contaminated feed is a risk for the introduction of Salmonella onto the farm (Davies et al, 2004;Molla et al, 2010).…”

“…The best efficacy results and lowest masking were achieved for a formaldehyde-containing product (Carrique-Mas et al, 2007). A thorough review of the use of various chemicals to reduce Salmonella contamination of feed contamination has recently been published (Wales et al, 2010).…”

Scientific Opinion on an estimation of the public health impact of setting a new target for the reduction ofSalmonellain turkeys

“…Interventions such as vaccination (Tenk et al, 2000;Thain et al, 1984), antibiotic treatment (Reynolds et al, 1997), acidification of feed or water (Wales et al, 2010a) or adding inhibitory substances such as lime to litter (Bennett et al, 2005) may also reduce the level of Salmonella in faeces or the sampled environment, making detection more difficult. In the antimicrobial hatchery treatment of breeding flocks or use of formaldehyde during hatching may also inhibit detection (Cadirci, 2009).…”

Different dosages of SALMEX to control Clostridium perfringens in poultry feed ingredients

“…The primary method used to reduce animal feed contamination is to monitor and control bacterial contamination of ingredients and equipment used in the manufacturing and processing of the raw material (Wales et al, 2010). However, microbiological control can also be achieved with the addition of chemical products to the feed (Dibner and Buttin, 2002).…”

“…However, microbiological control can also be achieved with the addition of chemical products to the feed (Dibner and Buttin, 2002). Some chemicals that can control bacterial proliferation are organic acids (acetic acid, propionic acid, and salts of citric and formic acid), ethanol, formaldehyde, alcohol, zinc propionate, and zinc acetate, but the efficiency of these compounds can vary (Wales et al, 2010).…”