On-farm control measures are required to mitigate the risk of the bacteria being transmitted to humans working with poultry and people who visit poultry farms. Abdelaziz’s lab is studying the impact of inoculating eggs (in-ovo) with probiotics on gut health and immune system development of broilers before they hatch.
Probiotics are live bacteria, fungi, or yeasts that help poultry maintain healthy digestive systems. They are increasingly being included in poultry diets as alternatives to antibiotics. Abdelaziz and his team believe in-ovo technology can be used to deliver probiotics to chicken embryos and help boost chicks’ immune systems before they hatch.
During their investigation, Abdelaziz and his team have found certain probiotics (lactobacilli) applied in-ovo to chick embryos increased immune-related genes in the chicks’ guts which could promote healthy immune systems of chick embryos. Future studies will investigate whether Lactobacillus-induced immune responses protect against harmful microorganisms after chicks hatch.
FoodWorld 