Food safety - 1, pathogens - 0
The Food Standards Agency's objective to halve the number of UK-produced chickens testing positive for campylobacter by 2010 could be achieved much sooner, claim the developers of a new water-treatment system.
The FSA's strategy for control of campylobacter in chickens has long identified drinking water as a contributor to campylobacter infection in the broiler house. But while chlorine-based biocides are commonly added to drinking water systems, they cannot be included at the level required to completely eliminate microbial load because they can also harm the birds. Moreover, there is increasing concern from both regulatory and consumer bodies about the use of chlorine in such systems.
"The UK poultry industry is actively working to meet this challenge head-on today and the ability to eliminate the drinking water as a source of infection and transmission is a major step forward," says Tom Ritchie, of Forum Bioscience. "The industry has an ongoing responsibility to itself and consumers to ensure that every chicken is healthy and hygienic. It is a major point of potential differentiation between UK-produced and imported chicken.
"Hygiene and bio-security measures have long been at the heart of producers' management systems, but we must continue to monitor production practices to identify where further improvements to bird health can be made," Mr Ritchie emphasises.
The Aqualution system, developed by Forum Bioscience after extensive research, is in use by increasing numbers of UK poultry farmers. It has the unique ability to reduce the microbial total viable count to zero - without any harmful effects on bird health.
"Aqualution is a specialised electrolysis unit which treats locally mains or borehole water using a combination of electrolysis and ion exchange," explains Mr Ritchie, "The treated water is a potable and non-toxic biocide, containing a very small amount of chlorine and high concentrations of dissolved oxygen. The biocide is added to the main water line at low volumes (3-5%), controlled using a dosing unit."
The system ensures that the water entering the drinker is free from any microbial load. It remains that way up to the point of consumption.
"Using Aqualution immediately eliminates water as a contributor to the horizontal transmission of campylobacter," Mr Ritchie points out, "allowing producers to concentrate on other aspects of bird health and welfare.
"What's more, early evidence from our trials suggests that Aqualution eases medication requirements and can reduce the proportion of rejects from each crop."
Aqualution, says Mr Ritchie, is fully compliant with the Biocidal Products Directive and exhibits far superior efficacy compared with conventional biocides. It also meets the British Disinfectant Standard against a wide range of problem pathogens, including Campylobacter, Pseudomonas and E. coli.
