Overview:

There is an increased interest in the identification of dietary interventions aiming to reduce the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To achieve this, the strategy includes supplementation of animal feed with biologically active substances (e.g. essential oils, phenolics, organic acids, peptides, etc.) with pronounced antimicrobial activity against a wide spectrum of pathogens. The approach involving natural antimicrobial formulations enriched with organic acids and plant extracts is a promising candidate for a successful pathogen control. They can be utilized as novel feed additives in the animal diet to fortify the animal immune system, to promote intestinal health and weight gain.

This webinar discussed commercially available natural antimicrobials that significantly reduced the virulence of pathogenic microorganisms in shrimp using in vitro assays. The identification of novel natural antimicrobials involved interdisciplinary approaches and technological updates, promoting them as alternatives to antibiotics. Approaches from biotechnology, molecular biology, pharmacognosy, ethnopharmacology, and genetics were integrated to provide valuable tools for developing novel antimicrobials.

Presenter:

Prof. Nicolae Corcionivoschi is the Head of Food Microbiology at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. He is a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy and an elected member of the Royal Society of Biology. Nicolae holds a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Edinburgh and has conducted research at University College Dublin and the National Children’s Research Centre in Ireland.

His research focused on bacterial virulence, isolation and testing of novel pre- and probiotics, and developing technologies for efficient detection of food-borne pathogens. His laboratory conducted advanced research on quantifying Campylobacter in poultry and identifying novel genes involved in its pathogenesis. His group also investigated gut microbiota composition and ways to manipulate it to reduce harmful bacteria.

Auranta, a Corporate Member of EAS, presented this webinar as part of their member benefits. Visit Auranta’s website [ https://auranta.ie/]

Download the presentation slide here.