Cocktail of berries to kill E. coli

By adding ramsons and the berries together in a mix they become strong and synergistic antimicrobials. Pig Progress reports that the researchers (all connected to Aarhus University, Denmark) made the discovery within the context of a research project looking at antibacterial plants against diarrhoea in pig herds (MAFFRA). The team claims that the cocktails tested are highly interesting and promising for further tests with respect to their ability to suppress E. coli O149:F4in vivo and potentially being used for preventing and/or treating post-weaning diarrhoea in piglets as an alternative to conventional antibiotics.

According to the researchers, plants or components from plants like these have never before been considered as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Some plant components are known to compromise palatability or nutritional value, especially if they need to be added in relatively high amounts. Hence there is always the need for a search for better cocktails.

The full story can be read on Pig Progress.