Steven C. Ricke - Böcker

Organic Meat Production and Processing describes the challenges of production, processing and food safety of organic meat. The editors and international collection of authors explore the trends in organic meats and how the meat industry is impacted. Commencing with chapters on the economics, market and regulatory aspects of organic meats, coverage then extends to management issues for organically raised and processed meat animals. Processing, sensory and human health aspects are covered in detail, as are the incidences of foodborne pathogens in organic beef, swine, poultry and other organic meat species. The book concludes by describing pre-harvest control measures for assuring the safety of organic meats. Organic Meat Production and Processing serves as a unique resource for fully understanding the current and potential issues associated with organic meats.

The practice of supplementing direct fed microbial and prebiotic additives to domestic animals during growth is becoming more widespread in food animal production.  Beneficial effects particularly in cattle, pigs and poultry, including improved general health, foodborne pathogen reduction, more efficient food utilization, faster growth rate and increased milk and egg production are common results.  The success associated with direct fed microbial and prebiotic applications in multiple species ensures their continued commercialization and the widespread use of such additives.  However, several fundamental questions remain about how and why probiotic products work, and which kind of probiotic products are best for specific production scenarios.It appears that early establishment and retention of an ecological balance in the gastrointestinal tract is an important first step for an external biological additive to be effective in young animals.  Therefore, it is possible that the effectiveness of direct fed microbials and prebiotics in some animal species may only be an indirect consequence of speeding up the establishment and succession of the dominant microflora characteristic of the adult gastrointestinal tract. Consequently, an understanding of the key processes during establishment of microflora in the gastrointestinal system that lead to the subsequent fermentation characteristics and ecological balance exhibited by the highly protective microflora is needed.  Several additional areas of future research directions are also suggested for further development and implementation of these biological approaches as new molecular and drug delivery technologies become available.  Continued research on direct fed microbials and prebiotics in general should markedly expand their commercial applications.

Due to their novel concepts and extraordinary high-throughput sequencing capacity, the “next generation sequencing” methods allow scientists to grasp system-wide landscapes of the complex molecular events taking place in various biological systems, including microorganisms and microbial communities.

This book addresses cutting-edge techniques for researching transposon mutagenesis, an approach for identifying individual gene contributions to the phenotypic characteristics of a particular microorganism. The volume begins with methods for specific microorganisms and include protocols for individual microorganisms ranging from pathogens such as Salmonella to Bifidobacterium, a microorganism considered beneficial to humans and animals. The final section addresses more general protocols including plasmid transfer and bioinformatic tools as well as novel applications of transposon methodologies such as transposon-aided capture of antibiotic resistant plasmids. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Microbial Transposon Mutagenesis: Protocols and Applications serves as a valuable reference for scientists seeking to apply transposon mutagenesis to microbial genetic analyses and functionality.

This book addresses cutting-edge techniques for researching transposon mutagenesis, an approach for identifying individual gene contributions to the phenotypic characteristics of a particular microorganism.

Due to their novel concepts and extraordinary high-throughput sequencing capacity, the “next generation sequencing” methods allow scientists to grasp system-wide landscapes of the complex molecular events taking place in various biological systems, including microorganisms and microbial communities. These methods are now being recognized as essential tools for a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying many biological processes.  In High-Throughput Next Generation Sequencing: Methods and Applications, experts in the field explore the most recent advances in the applications of next generation sequencing technologies with an emphasis on microorganisms and their communities; however, the methods described in this book will also offer general applications relevant to the study of any living organisms.  Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, High-Throughput Next Generation Sequencing: Methods and Applications is an excellent collection of chapters to aid all scientists who wish to apply these innovative research tools to enhance their own pursuits in microbiology and also biology in general.

This collection features four peer-reviewed literature reviews on antibiotics in poultry production.The first chapter places the use of antibiotics in poultry production in its historical context to understand the benefits that antibiotics have conferred on animal production to date. It considers past, present and future use of antibiotics, focusing on the use of bacteriocins and phytochemicals.The second chapter considers the benefits and repercussions of the use of antibiotics in poultry production. It details the emergence of antibiotic resistance, as well as the potential risks to public health and sustainable farming associated with antibiotic use.The third chapter reviews the identification and use of prebiotics as a control measure against contamination of poultry products. The chapter covers both traditional prebiotic compounds such as fructooligosaccharides, and less conventional sources such as guar gum.The final chapter presents the background and current use of Competitive Exclusion (CE) as a preventative measure against Salmonella infections in poultry, by administration ofcultures of intestinal origin to day-old chickens.

This collection features three peer-reviewed literature reviews on pre- and probiotics in poultry production.The first chapter summarises the safety and efficacy of individual monocultures for prophylactic and/or therapeutic efficacy against Salmonella infections in poultry under both laboratory and field conditions. The chapter also considers the development of novel, cost-effective, feed-stable, direct-fed microbials with potential for widespread utilisation and improved production, delivery and clinical efficacy for animal use.The second chapter discusses the establishment of prebiotics as a series of feed compounds that serve as specific substrates for gastrointestinal tract (GIT) bacteria. The chapter reviews the impact of prebiotics on bird health, GIT function, and prevention of foodborne pathogen GIT colonization. Particular attention is drawn on the impact of prebiotics on the avian intestinal microbiome, cecal microbiome and the avian upper GIT.The final chapter considers current concerns surrounding the application of probiotics in poultry production, primarily due to mixed experiences of their effectiveness and lack of knowledge regarding the scientific basis for their modes of action. In contrast, prebiotics have been readily accepted by the sector. This chapter summarises recent research on the effects of both types of treatment, their possible modes of action, as well as the strengths and limitations of their use.

This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on managing bacterial diseases of poultry.The first chapter provides a brief overview of Campylobacter in poultry production and the routes of transmission from bird to human. It considers current and future challenges in controlling Campylobacter, as well as the control measures implemented to reduce the occurrence of infection in poultry flocks. The second chapter discusses economically-important enteric diseases and disorders of poultry. The chapter highlights the aetiology of these diseases and explores more sustainable alternatives to promote gastrointestinal health, such as plant-derived extracts, organic acids, prebiotics and probiotics.The third chapter provides an overview of best practices to manage disease outbreaks in poultry. It reviews current disease preventative measures, health monitoring procedures, as well as disease investigation techniques. The fourth chapter reviews the emergence and re-emergence of several infectious pathogens in poultry production and the consequent need to improve current biosecurity measures in poultry flocks to ensure optimal animal health and welfare. The final chapter considers the main alternatives to antibiotics in preventing zoonoses and other major pathogens in poultry. The chapter reviews the sector’s use of prebiotics and related compounds, as well as the beneficial effects of their use.

It’s been suggested that current poultry production must increase by at least 2.5% per year until 2030 to meet demand from a rapidly growing population. However, whilst modern, more intensive production systems offer the potential to meet this demand, they also bring with them increased safety and environmental risks.Improving poultry meat safety and sustainability provides a comprehensive overview of how best to deal with zoonotic diseases which continue to threaten poultry meat safety, focussing on the major food pathogens Campylobacter, Salmonella and Escherichia coli. The book reviews how poultry meat safety can be optimised at the farm level as well as the effectiveness of methods for maintaining the postharvest safety and shelf-life of poultry meat.With the livestock sector facing increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, the book also details how poultry production can become more sustainable, whilst also ensuring that poultry meat safety isn’t compromised at any point along the value chain.

This book features five peer-reviewed reviews on the environmental impact of poultry production.The first chapter briefly introduces life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and addresses the particular effects of egg production on four key impact categories: climate change, land use change, acidifying and eutrophying emissions and water footprint.The second chapter reviews the key role of LCA in identifying the sources of environmental impacts in poultry meat production, as well as potential mitigation strategies.The third chapter discusses key emissions resulting from layer production systems, including greenhouse gases, ammonia, particulate matter, odours and volatile organic compounds. It also considers practical solutions for emissions mitigation, from diet and genetics, to manure and litter management.The fourth chapter reviews the major types of waste generated in egg production facilities and discusses the various methods and technologies for treating and managing these waste streams, such as the use of aerobic treatments.The final chapter addresses current poultry processing practices, the consequent production of byproducts, as well as future opportunities to enhance the value of these byproducts as sources of high-value biological compounds and tissues.

This comprehensive study of poultry meat safety offers readers the most up-to-date information on food safety concerns in poultry meat production. Chapters address recent topics of interest such as organic poultry production, antimicrobial resistant pathogens in poultry, antibiotic usage in poultry production, and pre- and post- harvest approaches to improving poultry meat safety.The last couple of decades have observed a significant increase in poultry meat production in the US. However, poultry meat is a potential source of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter spp. and pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC linked to human infections), leading to economic losses to the poultry industry and impacting public health. Advances in knowledge in microbiology, molecular biology, immunology and “omics” fields have intensified efforts to improve the microbiological safety of poultry by targeting virulence mechanisms of the pathogens, developing vaccines and improving gut health in chickens. Moreover, due to the emergence of multidrug resistance in poultry-borne pathogens, and growth of organic poultry production, there exists significant interest for developing natural strategies for controlling pathogens in chickens.   This edited volume provides insight into these strategies and covers other material of interest to food microbiologists, public health personnel, and poultry scientists. Readers of various backgrounds will appreciate its incorporation of recent developments not covered in other publications on the subject.

In this exciting update, readers will learn how feeding direct-fed microbials (including eubiotics, postbiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics) is becoming increasingly widespread during food animal production.  Animal production must improve efficiency of growth, and the use of direct-fed microbial and prebiotic additives to domestic animals has become widely accepted and utilized.  The benefits of probiotic-type approaches in cattle, pigs, fish, and poultry, include improved general animal health, reduced foodborne pathogen populations, increased growth rate and feed efficiency, improved milk and egg production, and have been reported world-wide.  Successes from probiotic approaches in multiple species have ensured their adoption; however, several fundamental questions remain.  Early establishment and retention of an ecological balance in the gastrointestinal tract is an important first step for an external biological additive to be effective in young animals, suggesting that some of the benefits of direct-fed microbials may be due to an early establishment of a “normal” native gut microbial population.  Research has indicated that the establishment of a normal population can enhance gut epithelial integrity, preventing inflammation and improving animal health.  Thus, it is important that we understand the key processes that occur during the establishment of the gut microbial population that can impact gastrointestinal fermentation and provide protection against pathogens of the animals and of human consumers. Knowing how these processes work and how they impact animal energy and protein expenditures can guide further improvements of available and future commercial products.  Exciting research opportunities are discussed in this book, examining different characteristics of DFMs that are fed to animals to meet different production demands in different production scenarios (e.g., beef versus dairy versus swine versusfin fish).  The advent of molecular and next-generation sequencing offers methods of developing tailored DFMs, and of early detection of successful DFM establishment in the gut.  These techniques will further deepen our insight into understanding the microbial population of the gut and how these populations impact animal health, food safety, and sustainability of animal-derived protein production.