Efficacy of the Natural Plant Extracts, Thymol and Carvacrol against Campylobacter Colonization in Broiler Chickens

• Published in: Journal of food safety 2014-11, Vol.34 (4), p.321-325
• Main Authors: Arsi, K, Donoghue, A.M, Venkitanarayanan, K, Kollanoor‐Johny, A, Fanatico, A.C, Blore, P.J, Donoghue, D.J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: antimicrobial properties; broiler chickens; Campylobacter; Campylobacter jejuni; campylobacteriosis; carvacrol; Chickens; Chicks; consumer demand; Effectiveness; enteritis; Extraction plants; Food contamination & poisoning; food pathogens; Food safety; foodborne illness; foods; Gram-negative bacteria; Human; human diseases; humans; plant extracts; Poultry; poultry products; preharvest treatment; risk; Thymol
• ISSN: 0149-6085; 1745-4565
• DOI: 10.1111/jfs.12129

Campylobacter is a leading worldwide cause of foodborne illness associated with consumption of poultry products. Unfortunately, most preharvest treatments fail to reduce this enteric foodborne pathogen in poultry. The efficacy of natural plant extracts, such as thymol and carvacrol, has efficacy against other enteric pathogens but has not been evaluated against Campylobacter. To accomplish this, day old broiler chicks (n = 10 chicks/dose) were fed 0% (controls) or thymol or carvacrol or combinations of these compounds in feed in four different trials. Birds were orally challenged with Campylobacter jejuni at day 3 and at day 10, cecal samples were collected for Campylobacter enumeration. Campylobacter counts were reduced for 0.25% thymol (trial 1), 1% carvacrol or 2% thymol (trial 2) treatments, or a combination of both thymol and carvacrol at 0.5% (trial 3) in this study (P