# The Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Dairy By-Products in Controlling Campylobacter jejuni in Poultry

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how lactic acid bacteria and dairy by-products like acid whey can help reduce harmful bacteria in poultry, offering a sustainable alternative to antibiotics.

## Contribution

The paper introduces new strategies combining lactic acid bacteria and acid whey for controlling poultry pathogens in a sustainable, antibiotic-free way.

## Key findings

- L. crispatus reduces C. jejuni cecal colonization by over 90% through competitive exclusion and bacteriocin activity.
- L. johnsonii FI9785 decreases C. jejuni bacterial load by 4–5 log10 units.
- Acid whey reduces C. jejuni viability on poultry carcasses by 40% when applied shortly before processing.

## Abstract

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is the primary Campylobacter species and a major cause of foodborne illness associated with poultry products. This review focuses on lactic acid bacteria (LAB), especially Lactobacillus species, and acid whey as a dairy by-product for C. jejuni control in poultry as a sustainable method. LAB strains L. crispatus exhibit a cecal colonization reduction of >90% by competitive exclusion and bacteriocin activity, while L. johnsonii FI9785 decrease bacterial load 4–5 log10. Acid whey, which is abundant in organic acids (e.g., lactic acid) and bioactive peptides (e.g., lactoferrin), reduces C. jejuni viability, decreasing the food product contamination on the carcass for a short time by 40%. LAB antimicrobial function becomes more effective when used with acid whey, although specific farm-related variables require additional optimization. Some of the key strategies include co-encapsulating LAB with acid whey or plant-derived antimicrobials for improving survival, conducting in vivo trials in commercial farm conditions to evaluate scalability, and adding whey into feed (1–2% inclusion) or applying it as a pre-slaughter spray. These strategies enable the antibiotic-free production and circular economy goals through repurposing low-cost acid whey. Future studies should directly compare them with standard antimicrobials to confirm their scalability for poultry safety.