Application of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum as a feed additive for weaned rabbits to improve meat microbial quality and safety

This study addresses the improvement of meat microbial quality by enriching the diet of farm animals with a protective culture. Weaned Grimaud rabbits were divided into two experimental groups: a control and a diet supplemented with Micocin® (Carnobacterium maltaromaticum CB1; 8 Log10 CFU/kg of feed). Overall, meat quality was not affected substantially by the treatment. Total Aerobic Mesophilic (TAM), Escherichia coli and other coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas spp., Listeria spp. and presumptive lactic acid bacteria counts were evaluated on whole thighs stored under aerobic (0, 3, 6, 8 days) and anaerobic (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 days) conditions at 4 °C. The results demonstrated that the microflora on refrigerated thighs was modulated by the addition of Micocin® (P < 0.05) and that the most effective reduction of Listeria monocytogenes growth was observed with ground meat stored under anaerobic conditions at 4 °C with a 2 Log difference at the end of a 15-day storage (P = 0.025).