Using antimicrobial cultures, bacteriocins and bacteriophages to reduce carriage of foodborne pathogens in cattle and swine

The intestinal microbial ecosystem is a dense and diverse population that can be utilized to reduce pathogenic bacterial populations that affect animal production efficiency and the safety of food products. Strategies to capture and utilize this complex natural resource have been developed that reduce the populations of foodborne pathogenic bacteria and eliminate pathogens that negatively impact animal production or food safety on the farm. Products used in animals to reduce pathogens in the food supply include probiotics, prebiotics and competitive exclusion cultures, as well as bacteriocins and bacteriophage (bacterial viruses). The individual efficacy of any of these compounds is due to specific microbial ecological factors within the gut of the food animal and its native microflora that alter the competitive pressures of the gut. This review explores the ecology behind the efficacy of these products against foodborne pathogens that inhabit food animals.