The biological effects of microencapsulated organic acids and botanicals induces tissue-specific and dose-dependent changes to the microbiota

Abstract

Background: Microencapsulated organic acids and botanicals have the potential to develop into important tools for the poultry industry. A blend of vanillin, thymol, sorbic, and citric acids (AviPlus®P) has previously been shown to reduce Salmonella and other foodborne pathogens in chickens; however, changes to the microbiota of the jejunum and ileum have not been evaluated. Microbiota diversity is linked to, but not correlated with, the efficacy of natural products including organic acids and natural compounds; therefore, understanding the effects of these products on the microbiota is a necessary first step into evaluating the potential for wide-spread use within the poultry industry as an alternative to antibiotics. Results: Day-of-hatch by-product breeder chicks (n=30) were placed into either the control (0 g/MT AviPlus®P; n=5) or one of two experimental groups (300 g/MT; n=5; 500 g/MT AviPlus®P; n=5). The experiment was conducted using two replicate pens therefore 10 chicks/treatment were used for all analysis. Chickens were sacrificed 15d post-hatch and total jejunum and ileum contents were individually collected and snap frozen until further processing and analysis. The DNA was extracted and sequenced using the Illumina 16S rDNA MiSeq V3 platform and the samples analyzed in QIIME2.2019.1. Samples were filtered for quality and chimeras using DADA2, with OTU frequencies less than three removed from the study. Alpha and beta diversity analytics indicated compartmentalization within the poultry gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Additionally, LEfSE and ANCOM analysis showed a reduction in Enterobacteriaceae with increased inclusion rate and an increase in Clostridia, both of which are associated with optimal GIT health. Conclusion: The addition of a blend of organic acids and botanicals to the diet of chickens does not adversely impact the microbiota, and in fact, is associated with microbial changes within the ileum and jejunum that are largely thought of as beneficial. Promotion of a healthy GIT has the potential to limit colonization by Salmonella and other foodborne pathogens. The inclusion of the microencapsulated blend of organic acids and botanicals may be a viable antibiotic alternative for use in the poultry industry.