Impact of bacteriocins on chicken microbiome in a continuous culture model

Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria, involved in microbial competition within ecological niches. Some are used in food preservation, nisin and pediocin, and are attracting interest as an alternative to conventional antibiotics in human and animal health, in the context of the antibiotic resistance crisis. In order to examine their potential application in poultry farming, we examined the impact on the avian ceaca microbiota composition of 3 bacteriocins showing different structures and activity spectra, using an in vitro colonic fermentation model, the PolyfermS .