Bacteriophages: Improving Poultry Growth While Reducing Salmonella for Food Processors

Written By Victor Chadarov

As antibiotic resistance continues to challenge livestock production worldwide, the poultry industry is under increasing pressure to protect animal health while reducing downstream food safety risks. A growing body of research now points to bacteriophages—naturally occurring viruses that target bacteria—as a powerful, science-backed solution.

Recent peer-reviewed research led by Professor Martha Clokie at the University of Leicester demonstrates that bacteriophages can simultaneously improve live poultry growth performance and significantly reduce Salmonella, delivering value to both poultry producers and food processors.

The Challenge: Antibiotic Resistance and Poultry Health

Salmonella remains one of the most persistent foodborne pathogens linked to chicken and poultry products, contributing to recalls, regulatory pressure, and financial loss for processors. At the same time, antibiotic-resistant Salmonella strains are becoming more common, limiting the effectiveness of traditional antimicrobial tools.

Producers need natural, targeted alternatives that:

  • Support bird health and growth

  • Reduce pathogen load before processing

  • Do not contribute to antimicrobial resistance

This is where phage therapy stands out.

The Study: Phages in Feed Improve Growth and Reduce Salmonella

In a large-scale controlled trial involving 672 broiler chickens, researchers evaluated a bacteriophage cocktail delivered directly through feed at different dose levels. Birds were either unchallenged or deliberately challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium, allowing researchers to assess both pathogen control and production performance.

Key findings included:

1. Significant Salmonella Reduction

  • Birds receiving bacteriophages showed dramatically lower Salmonella colonization compared to untreated controls.

  • The lowest phage dose eliminated detectable Salmonella by day 42.

  • All phage treatments reduced fecal Salmonella by 2–3 log CFU, directly lowering the pathogen burden entering processing facilities.

2. Improved Growth Performance and Weight Gain

  • Salmonella-challenged birds without phages had the lowest final body weights.

  • Phage-treated birds recovered 15–108 grams of lost body weight, depending on dose.

  • Birds receiving the highest phage dose achieved near-control growth performance.

  • Overall weight gain increased, feed intake improved, and mortality remained low and comparable across all treatments.

Importantly, no negative effects on feed conversion ratio or bird health were observed, confirming bacteriophages as a safe and effective natural intervention.

Why This Matters for Food Processors

Improving bird health upstream has direct benefits downstream:

  • Lower Salmonella entering the plant

  • Reduced reliance on harsh chemical antimicrobials

  • Lower risk of contamination, rework, and recalls

  • More consistent carcass quality and yields

By reducing Salmonella before processing, bacteriophages help food processors strengthen their food safety systems while supporting a more sustainable supply chain.

Professor Martha Clokie and the Future of Phage Therapy

Professor Martha Clokie, a global leader in bacteriophage research, has spent decades advancing phage science as a practical alternative to antibiotics. Her work has consistently shown that phages are highly specific, naturally occurring, and effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making them ideally suited for modern livestock production.

This study adds to a growing portfolio of evidence positioning bacteriophages as a cornerstone technology for managing antibiotic-resistant Salmonella while improving poultry health and performance.

A Natural Solution for Modern Poultry Production

Bacteriophages represent a rare win-win:

  • Healthier chickens

  • Improved growth rates

  • Reduced Salmonella risk

  • No contribution to antibiotic resistance

As regulatory pressure increases and processors demand stronger food safety outcomes, phage-based solutions are emerging as one of the most promising natural tools in poultry and livestock production.

Translating Science into Practice: VAM-S and FortiPhi-S for Poultry Processing and Livestock

Building on the scientific foundation established by Professor Martha Clokie’s research, VAM-S™ and FortiPhi-S™ are applied bacteriophage solutions specifically designed to combat Salmonella across the poultry value chain. FortiPhi-S is formulated for live poultry applications, where targeted bacteriophages help reduce intestinal Salmonella colonization, supporting healthier birds, improved growth performance, and lower pathogen loads entering the processing plant. VAM-S, by contrast, is designed for post-harvest and processing environments, where it can be applied to carcasses, parts, and food-contact surfaces to further reduce Salmonella and minimize cross-contamination risk. Together, these phage solutions reflect the same principles demonstrated in peer-reviewed research: high specificity, efficacy against antibiotic-resistant Salmonella, and compatibility with natural, antibiotic-reduction strategies. By integrating bacteriophages both pre- and post-harvest, producers and processors can implement a holistic Salmonella control program that improves poultry health upstream while strengthening food safety downstream

Reference

Thanki, A. M., Hooton, S., Whenham, N., Salter, M. G., Bedford, M. R., Masey O’Neill, H. V., & Clokie, M. R. J. (2023). A bacteriophage cocktail delivered in feed significantly reduced Salmonella colonization in challenged broiler chickens. Emerging Microbes & Infections, 12, 2217947

Victor Chadarov
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Preventing the Next Recall: How Bacteriophages Strengthen Food Safety and Reduce Risk