A European project has developed a way to help with the biocontrol of Campylobacter and reduce its prevalence in the poultry sector.
Work focuses on the development of a bacteriophage-based solution to be used as a natural antimicrobial in the farm (pre-harvest), at slaughter, and in processing facilities (post-harvest). Standard control measures at the farm level rely upon the use of antibiotics.
The project, called Campylobacter-Specific Nullification via Innovative Phage-mediated Enteropathogen Reduction (C-SNIPER), is led by AZTI, a technology center in Spain. It received funding from EIT Food, part of the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.
Poultry is the most widely consumed meat in the EU with Poland, Italy, Spain, and Germany as major producers. However, the consumption of poultry products is also considered the main route for campylobacteriosis, the most frequently reported foodborne illness in Europe.
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