ARS | Publication request: Effects of Sodium Chlorate on E. Coli O157:h7 Populations in Ruminants

Submitted to: International Avian Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings/Symposium
Publication Acceptance Date: June 11, 2002
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Ruminant animals can be colonized by a wide variety of bacteria, including those that can be pathogenic to humans who consume products derived from these animals. Even though ruminants are carriers of food-borne pathogenic bacteria, these bacteria often do not cause illness or a loss of production efficiency in the animal, thus cannot be detected easily. Therefore, as pathogenic bacteria carried within ruminants animals enter the abattoir, they could be carried forward into the food chain. Strategies aimed at preventing the entry of foodborne pathogens into the food chain are key to improving food safety. Sodium chlorate specifically kills bacteria equipped with a dissimilatory nitrate reductase, such as E. coli and Salmonella. Bacteria that do not have a dissimilatory nitrate reductase are unaffected by chlorate addition. Therefore, it has been suggested that chlorate be used to reduce populations of specific bacteria in the intestinal tract of food animals. Chlorate has been used successfully experimentally in monogastric animals, and results from studies with ruminant animals are presented here. Based on the available information, it appears that chlorate could be an effective method to reduce food borne pathogenic bacteria (e.g., E. coli O157:H7) from ruminant animals.