 Photo: Janice Neitzel Original article written by Frank Fuhrig A $3.34 million research project by a consortium of institutions is underway to improve the microbial safety, production efficiency, product quality and cost dynamics of organic chicken. The research is funded by an Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). “The goal of this project is not only to address the existing challenges in organic poultry farming but also to provide sustainable solutions that can be adopted globally,” said lead researcher Abhinav Upadhyay of the University of Connecticut. “Our team comprises young, mid-career, and senior scientists with extensive expertise in various aspects of poultry production and safety, making us well-equipped to tackle these issues from multiple angles.” The University of Minnesota, University of Arkansas, University of Kentucky, Tennessee State University, and the Fayetteville, Ark., bureau of USDA’s Agricultural Research Service are participating in the research project. One initiative within the project seeks to develop emulsions that allow essential oils infused with organic antimicrobials — including cinnamon, oregano and cloves — to be used as water-soluble supplements in the drinking water of layer chickens and turkeys. The technique, if successful, could have applications in the broader poultry industry. “Our drive to include microbiological safety as our number one objective was to ensure that the products that come out on the market through organic poultry are safe for human consumption,” Upadhyay said. Other research under the grant is aimed at encapsulated probiotics as a method to control Salmonella and Campylobacter jejuni in layer and broiler chickens, among several other prongs of the project. Original article published on Meatingplace.com free range vs pasture raisedhumanelyanimal welfareCage free vs pasture raisedComments are closed.
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