Elanco Food Solutions has introduced its first food safety product for the poultry industry: AviBrom is a post-harvest carcass rinse that reduces Salmonella pathogens during processing.

Elanco Food Solutions recently was launched as a business platform of Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly and Company. Elanco Food Solutions will market pre- and post-harvest food-safety products and services to poultry, beef and pork packers and processors.

New technology offers benefits beyond traditional interventions

AviBrom is a broad-spectrum, post-harvest antimicrobial that reduces pathogenic Salmonella levels at multiple intervention points during poultry processing. Research has shown up to a 2.5-log reduction in post-chill whole-carcass Salmonella levels when using AviBrom.

Tom Nicholson, director of sales and technical services for Elanco Food Solutions, explained: "AviBrom works in a wide range of water pH so acidifiers aren't needed as with some food-safety interventions. That reduces the risk of colour and shelf-life issues that poultry processors often see with acid-based interventions.

"AviBrom is less reactive to organic matter than a conventional chlorine intervention, which provides greater antimicrobial activity. And when used according to label directions, AviBrom has lower odour and fewer safety issues compared to chlorine so it creates a more favourable environment for plant workers.

"In addition, the AviBrom Application System is easy to install and maintain, and poultry-plant managers have peace of mind because the system is supported by the Elanco Food Solutions team."

Protecting human health is Elanco priority

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that food-borne diseases cause 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalisations and 5,000 deaths in the US annually. Food-borne illnesses cost the United States between $5 billion and $22 billion annually, with Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 alone costing more than $3 billion.

Mr Nicholson added: "Consumers have high expectations for their food to be safe and Elanco Food Solutions is proud to be part of a food chain that delivers on that promise. We realise there is no single 'silver-bullet' solution, so we'll deliver multiple pre- and post-harvest interventions for poultry, beef and pork packers and processors that will help reduce food-borne pathogens in packing and processing plants. AviBrom is one of the first of many interventions that we will introduce to the poultry industry.

"Elanco Food Solutions' food-safety products are unique and science-based. We're focused on helping food-animal packers and processors deliver safe, affordable and wholesome food to consumers."