Reducing the presence of human pathogens like Campylobacter and Salmonella (zoonoses) in their animal hosts is important to enhance food safety of products of animal origin. Campylobacter is considered to be a commensal in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs due to its typically high prevalence. Consequently, it is difficult to control Campylobacter in pigs at farm level by usual hygienic measures, especially in open systems of organic pig production (Jensen et al 2006). However, another potential means to control pathogens is inclusion of non-digestible oligosaccharides (prebiotics) in the diet. For example, prebiotics proofed successful in control of the intestinal disease swine dysentery caused by the spirochaete Brachyspira hyodysenteriae (Molbak et al. 2007

Baggesen, D.L.

Hansen, L.L.

Jensen, A.N.

English

Pigs constitute a natural reservoir of Campylobacter spp., which implies a food safety concern. A potential means to control pathogens is inclusion of non-digestible oligosaccharides (prebiotics) in the diet. Prebiotics act by stimulating the growth of fermenting bacteria beneficial for the gastrointestinal health of the host. This study aimed to assess a possible Campylobacter spp. reducing effect of feeding pigs with lupin and chicory just prior to slaughter. 

The short-term inclusion of lupin in pigs’ diet prior to slaughter reduced the excretion level of naturally occurring Campylobacter. This indicates a lower risk of carcass contamination at slaughter and then a lower infection risk associated with consumption of pork

Jensen, Annette Nygaard

Hansen, Laurits Lydehøj

Baggesen, Dorte Lau

Organic Eprints

Reducing the risk of food borne pathogens (Campylobacter) in pre-slaughter piges vis short-time feeding with prebiotics  Jensen1, A.N., Hansen, L.L. and Baggesen, D.L.  1Division of Microbiology and Risk Assessment, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Bülowsvej 27, DK-1790 Copenhagen V, DK  Introduction: Pigs constitute a natural reservoir of Campylobacter spp., but the role of pork in human Campylobacter infections is expected to be minor as pigs typically are found to host C. coli rather than C. jejuni, which is the major cause of human Campylobacter infections. However, application of intensive detections methods on organic weaning pigs has shown that C. jejuni rather often co-exists with C. coli. A potential means to control pathogens is inclusion of non-digestible oligosaccharides (prebiotics) in the diet. Prebiotics act by stimulating the growth of fermenting bacteria beneficial for the gastrointestinal health of the host. This study aimed to assess a possible Campylobacter spp. reducing effect of feeding pigs with lupin and chicory just prior to slaughter.   Methods: A total of 48 pigs of initial 90 kg live weight were fed with either I) control (100% organic concentrate (OC), II) chicory (10% chicory, 90% OC) or III) lupine (25% blue lupine seed, 75% OC) for 1 week (24 pigs) or 2 weeks (24 pigs) before slaughter. The Campylobacter spp. level was determined in rectal faecal samples collected at time 0, 1 and 2 weeks by direct plating of ten-fold dilution series of faeces (1 g) on charcoal-cefoperazone-deoxycholate agar plates (mCCDA).   Results: All pigs excreted Campylobacter spp. The effect of feeding with oligosaccharides depended on the initial Campylobacter excretion level. However, after one week on the lupin diet, pigs excreted mean log 2.9 CFU/g faeces compared to mean log 4.1 CFU/g in control and chicory pigs. When the feeding period was extended to two weeks, a Campylobacter-reducing effect was non-apparent.   Discussion: The short-term inclusion of lupin in pigs’ diet prior to slaughter reduced the excretion level of naturally occurring Campylobacter and this seems promising for a potential reduction of other food borne pathogens in pre-slaughter pigs such as Salmonella spp. This would infer a lower risk of carcass contamination at slaughter and then a lower infection risk associated with consumption of pork.   

Reducing the risk of food borne pathogens (Campylobacter) in pre-slaughter piges vis short-time feeding with prebiotics

Hansen, L. L.

Online Research Database In Technology

Background:Reducing the presence of human pathogens like Campylobacter and Salmonella (zoonoses) in their animal hosts is important to enhance food safety of products of animal origin. Campylobacter is considered to be a commensal in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs due to its typically high prevalence. Consequently, it is difficult to control Campylobacter in pigs at farm level by usual hygienic measures, especially in open systems of organic pig production (Jensen et al 2006). However, another potential means to control pathogens is inclusion of non-digestible oligosaccharides (prebiotics) in the diet. For example, prebiotics proofed successful in control of the intestinal disease swine dysentery caused by the spirochaete Brachyspira hyodysenteriae (Molbak et al. 2007)Methods: In two similar feeding experiments each with 24 pre-slaughter pigs, the pigs were divided into 3 groups that were given a diet of either I) control (100% organic concentrate (OC), II) chicory (10% chicory, 90% OC) or III) lupine (25% blue lupine seed, 75% OC) for 1 week or 2 weeks before slaughter (Fig. 1).Fig. 1. Experimental design of short-time prebiotic feeding experiment with pre- slaughter pigs.Results:All the pigs excreted Campylobacter spp. However, the excretion level in the pigs fed lupine for one week was reduced approximately one log CFU g-1 faees compared to the excretion level in pigs fed chicory or control feed (mean log 2.9 vs. 4.1 CFU g-1, Table 1). When the feeding period was prolonged to two weeks, the Campylobacter excretion level returned to a level similar to the level at start of the feeding experiment, Table 1. Table 1. Level of Campylobacter excretion in 3 groups of pre-slaughter pigs given 3 different diets.*The number in ( ) is standard error (s.e.) of the meanReducing the risk of food borne pathogens (Campylobacter) in pre-slaughter pigs via short-time feeding with prebioticsAnnette Nygaard Jensen1, Laurits Lydehøj Hansen2, Dorte Lau Baggesen11National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, 2Research Centre Foulum, University of AarhusAim:To assess a possible Campylobacter spp. reducing effect of feeding pre-slaughter pigs with lupin and chicory (prebiotics) just prior to slaughter.The Campylobacter spp. level was determined in rectal faecal samples collected at time 0, 1 and 2 weeks by direct plating of ten-fold dilution series of faeces (1 g) on charcoal-cefoperazone- deoxycholate agar plates (mCCDA) (Fig. 2).Fig. 2. Bacteriological enumeration of Campylobacter spp.Discussion:In the current study, a reduced level of Campylobacter spp. excretion was seen in the pigs fed lupine for one week. This potential for reducing the Campylobacter excretion level prior to slaughter infers a lower risk of carcass contamination, which would help to improve the food safety of pork as Campylobacter is one of the most important human pathogens. The results seems promising for the possibility of controlling also other food borne pathogens like e.g. Salmonella. ReferencesMolbak, L., Thomsen, L.E., Jensen, T.K., Bach Knudsen, K.E. and Boye, M. (2007) Increased amount of Bifidobacterium thermacidophilum and Megasphaera elsdenii in the colonic microbiota of pigs fed a swine dysentery preventive diet containing chicory roots and sweet lupine. J Appl Microbiol 103, 1853-1867.Jensen, A.N., Dalsgaard, A., Baggesen, D.L. and Nielsen, E.M. (2006) The occurrence and characterization of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli in organic pigs and their outdoor environment. Vet Microbiol 116, 96-105.Contact Information:Annette Nygaard Jensen,  National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Dept. Microbiology and Risk Assessment, Bülowsvej 27, DK-1790 Copenhagen V, Denmark, E-mail: anyj[a]food.dtu.dk, Phone: ++45 72346328  Campylobacter spp. excretion (mean log CFU g-1 faeces)*   Week Diet  0 (Start)   1   2  Control 4.37  (0.26) 4.08  (0.24) 4.44  (0.46) Chicory 4.23  (0.28) 4.09  (0.32) 3.93  (0.25) Lupine 4.74  (0.29) 2.94  (0.25) 3.99  (0.18)  Prebiotics are defined as ”non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon, and thus improve host health”. Gibson & Roberfroid. J Nutr. 1995. 125(6): 1401-12. Prebiotics are mainly carbohydrates such as e.g. inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) (both fructans) and raffinose- oligosaccharidesLupine, a source of raffinose(Lupinus angustifolius)Chicory, a main source of inulin (Cichorium intybus)1 ml1 g faeces9 ml 0.9% saline -1-2-3-4mCCDACampylobacter spp CFU g-1 faeces1 ml8 pigs8 pigs8 pigs4 pigs4 pigs4 pigs4 pigs4 pigs4 pigs4 pigs4 pigs4 pigsSLAUGHTERpre-slaughter pigs2X 24SLAUGHTERIntroduction of prebiotic feedIII) Blue lupines 25% (Lupinus angustifolius var. Prima)II) Chicory roots 10% (Cichorium intybus L. var Orchies)I) Control - organic concentrateSTART 1 Week 2 Weeks END

Reducing the risk of food borne pathogens (Campylobacter) in pre-slaughter pigs via short-time feeding with prebiotics

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Organic Eprints

Online Research Database In Technology

Online Research Database In Technology

Organic Eprints