Technology Description

Salmonella species are one of the most important causes of food-borne illness in the U.S. and, infections with multiple-antibiotic resistant Salmonella strains are becoming untreatable infectious diseases. Poultry meat and eggs are major sources of Salmonella food-borne illness, due to carriage of these bacterial pathogens in the intestinal microbiome of chickens. Reduction of carriage which would significantly improve food safety and reduce cases of human salmonellosis While this goal has been a priority for many years, basic research and animal management efforts have not achieved significant control of Salmonella carriage.

Dr. Jones has engineered a probiotic strain of E. coli Nissle designed to out compete and reduce the overall burden of salmonella in feed stock. This strain carries the FDA designation of GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) and was chosen as the scaffold strain because it is non-pathogenic and genetically very similar to Salmonella. Recent experiments in broiler chickens, egg-laying chickens, and turkey demonstrate that this probiotic can alter the ability of Salmonella to colonize the intestinal tract of poultry. In all three species, salmonella presence was significantly lower in probiotic treated groups compared to control groups, with some treated birds having no detectible levels of Salmonella. This probiotic has the potential to greatly reduce and control Salmonella carriage in multiple species, addressing a major cause of food-borne illness in the U.S.

UIRF Case No. 2025-015

Stage of Development

The engineered probiotic has been tested in three different poultry species and additional work is on-going.

• Significantly reduces Salmonella carriage to improve food safety. 

• Will reduce product loss due to contamination.

• May have additional benefit in cattle and swine populations.