**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROPOSED INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT AIMS TO IDENTIFY MICROBIAL SAFETY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MASH BROILER FEED AND PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A STANDARD COMMERCIAL FEED MILL OPERATION PROCEDURE TO REDUCE FOODBORNE PATHOGENS IN PELLETED FEED. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT WORLD PRODUCTION OF BROILER FEED REACHED 130.5 MILLION METRIC TONS IN 2019, WHICH MAKES FEED MICROBIAL SAFETY A VITAL COMPONENT TO KEEPING THE FOOD SUPPLY PATHOGEN FREE. PELLETED FEED CAN BE A VECTOR FOR PATHOGENS TO BE INTRODUCED TO POULTRY, MAKING FEED HYGIENICS HAVE EVER-INCREASING IMPORTANCE. POULTRY PRODUCTS ARE REPORTED TO BE THE NUMBER ONE FOOD CATEGORY RELATED TO FOODBORNE ILLNESS OUTBREAKS IN THE UNITED STATES. THESE CONCERNS WARRANT FINDING METHODS TO REDUCE THE PREVALENCE OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS, SUCH AS SALMONELLA, IN FEED AS AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THESE PATHOGENS IN THE FINAL POULTRY PRODUCTS THAT ARE CONSUMED. THEREFORE, THIS PROPOSED PROJECT AIMS TO: 1) ASSESS THE PREVALENCE OF SALMONELLA, CAMPYLOBACTER, AND ESCHERICHIA COLI IN COMMERCIAL MASH BROILER FEED THROUGH A MICROBIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF COMMERCIAL AND INTEGRATED FEED MANUFACTURERS; 2) MODEL THE THERMAL INACTIVATION OF SALMONELLA SURROGATE BACTERIA ENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM IN BROILER FEED IN A PILOT FEED MILL SETTING AND DEVELOP A HANDBOOK OF HACCP GENERIC MODEL FOR FEED MILLS; 3) DEVELOP IN-PERSON AND ONLINE WORKSHOPS ON BASIC FEED MILL HYGIENE AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING PATHOGENIC BACTERIA DURING FEED MANUFACTURE. RESULTS WILL ASSIST THE ENTIRE FEED INDUSTRY IN DEVELOPING PROCEDURES TO REDUCE PATHOGENIC BACTERIA IN FEED AND POTENTIALLY IN PRODUCTS FOR CONSUMER PURCHASE AND CONSUMPTION.

Mississippi State University, Mississippi State MS

Investigators