Effect of Fructooligosaccharide on Salmonella Colonization of the Chicken Intestine

Abstract

The influence of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) on the ability of Salmonella typhimurium to grow and colonize the gut of chickens was investigated. In vitro studies showed that Salmonella did not grow when FOS was the sole carbon source. When FOS was fed to chicks at the .375% level, little influence on Salmonella colonization was observed. At the .75% level, 12% fewer FOS-fed birds were colonized with Salmonella compared with control birds. When chicks given a partially protective competitive exclusion (CE) culture were fed diets supplemented with .75% FOS, only 4 of 21 (19%) chickens challenged with 10(9) Salmonella cells on Day 7 became colonized as compared with 14 of 23 (61%) chickens given CE alone. When chickens were stressed by feed and water deprivation on Day 13 and challenged with 10(9) Salmonella on Day 14, 33 of 36 (92%) chickens fed a control diet were colonized compared with only 9 of 36 (25%) chickens fed a .75% FOS diet. Chickens treated with FOS had a fourfold reduction in the level of Salmonella present in the ceca. Feeding FOS in the diet of chickens may lead to a shift in the intestinal gut microflora, and under some circumstances may result in reduced susceptibility to Salmonella colonization.

Dietary Fructans and Their Potential Beneficial Influence on Health and Performance Parametrs in Broiler Chickens

“…It is demonstrated that the control of Salmonella is achieved by low pH and high level of volatile fatty acids in broiler caeca content (Corrier et al, 1990a(Corrier et al, , 1990b. In vitro studies showed that Salmonella typhimurium did not grow when FOS was the sole carbon source (Bailey et al, 1991), therefore feeding oligofructose may be a practical strategy for controlling Salmonella in chicks. However, studies conducted on broilers to examine the potential effect of dietary fructans on Salmonella colonization of the chicken intestine and contamination of processed broiler carcasses are not unambiguous.…”

“…Moreover, there was no consistent effect of caecal pH observed in chicks fed diets with crude and refined FOS on Salmonella infection. Bailey et al (1991) reported that 0.375% FOS in the diet was insufficient to affect caeca colonization of Salmonella typhimurium, whereas 0.75% level decreased by 12% the number of birds that were colonized with Salmonella compared with control broilers. This effect was much more pronounced when chickens were stressed by feed and water deprivation.…”

“…This effect was much more pronounced when chickens were stressed by feed and water deprivation. Broilers treated with 0.75% FOS had a four-fold reduction in the level of Salmonella typhimurium in the caeca (Bailey et al, 1991). Waldroup et al (1993) conducted two similar trials to evaluate the effect of 0.375% FOS on the incidence and level of contamination of Salmonella typhimurium on prechilled broiler carcasses.…”

“…while decreasing the concentration of Clostridium spp. and Escherichia coli in the large intestine and caeca (Bailey et al, 1991;Biggs et al, 2007;Kim et al, 2011;Patterson et al, 1997;Rebolé et al, 2010;Xu et al, 2003;Yusrizal and Chen, 2003a) (Table 1). It is demonstrated that in chicks dietary inulin and fructooligosaccharides may be fermented, to some extent, in the small intestine.…”

Opinion of the Scientific Panel on biological hazards (BIOHAZ) related to the use of antimicrobials for the control of Salmonella in poultry

“…nutrients designed to influence the intestinal flora in a positive way may also be used but there is limited information on their effect on Salmonella colonisation in the field. In experimental "in vivo" trials, protective effects of fructooligosaccharides have been shown with respect to Salmonella colonization of the chicken intestine (Bailey et al, 1991). large country differences in the resistance prevalences and patterns were observed.…”