Seeking partner for Campylobacter control product

The firm is ready to move to final trials and product registration but needs a partner for this process. It has completed initial proof-of-concept university trials with an Australian supermarket chain and results included complete removal of Campylobacter from the chicken gut.

The natural bioactives are extracted from native plants from Australia, China, Philippines and Vietnam via contract supply.

While there has been progress in reducing levels of contamination they are still at between 30% and 50% of slaughtered poultry carcases and retail products worldwide. Campylobacter is one of the most common causes of food poisoning diarrhoea in humans.

Keith Quigg, managing director and CEO of BioAust Health, said the product can be delivered through feed or water.

BioAust Health’s small scale testing of a blend of botanically derived bioactives for delivery to the lower gut of the broiler chicken can eliminate infections of C. jejuni up to 7.6 log and increase chicken growth rate over 35–40 days by 4 to 6% and feed conversion by 3–4%.

The product will enable industry to reduce Campylobacter infection without changing the normal gut microflora.

The firm is looking for large scale trials in the US, China and Australia and to test the commercial product under local conditions before later expansion into European markets.