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Chlorate compound reduces levels of Salmonella and E. coli in poultry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has patented a chlorate
compound, which has been proven to reduce bacteria in poultry products. The
USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has patented a chlorate-based compound
that significantly reduces levels of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in the
animals' digestive tract.
According to an ARS news release, the research at the ARS Food and Feed
Safety Research Unit (FFSRU) in College Station, Texas. The team, led
Microbiologist Robin Anderson, mixed a chlorate-based compound into livestock
feed or water two days before slaughter.
When fed about 0.5 - 5%
of an animal's diet, the powder-like additive was very effective in reducing
Salmonella and
E. coli O157:H7 in the animal's gastrointestinal tract.
To test the chlorate compound in poultry, Allen
Byrd, FFSRU microbiologist, gave the additive to over 200 market-age turkeys and
2,000 broiler chickens 48 hours before processing. The incidence of Salmonella
dropped from 35% to zero in turkeys, and from 37% to 2% in broilers.
Anderson developed the experimental chlorate five
years ago, at the urging of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The swine
research was financially supported with funding from the National Pork
Board.
Related links:
Editor WorldPoultry
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