Intestinal morphology of chickens inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis and fed a diet with a β-galactomannan-rich supplement (salmosan®)

Abstract

The consumption of poultry products contaminated with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (Salmonella) is the leading cause of salmonellosis in humans. In order to reduce the high prevalence of Salmonella in farm animals, the addition of β-galactomannans to their diet is under study. The aim of this research was to determine by scanning electron microscopy the effect of Salmosan® (1 g/kg), a nutritional supplement produced from β-galactomannan-rich locust bean gum, on the morphology of the intestinal epithelium of the ileum and the caecal tonsil in chickens inoculated with Salmonella. The results were compared to those obtained with Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell walls (0.5 g/kg) possessing proven prebiotic activity, and with the antibiotic colistin (0.5 g/kg, from day 5 to 11). The images show that Salmosan® and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell walls reduce the presence of bacteria attached to the epithelium and maintain, unlike colistin, the integrity of the mucous membrane. We also observed an increase in goblet cells and the resulting production of mucus. Thus, the use of Salmosan ® is a good strategy to control and prevent Salmonella contamination in poultry products intended for human consumption.

Keywords: locust bean gum, scanning electron microscopy, goblet cells, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, colistin.