June 26, 2008

The Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA) and Industrial Tecnica Pecuaria S.A. (ITPSA) have developed a product for the prevention of salmonella.

The product will be commercialised worldwide by ITPSA under the trademark Salmosan, which could control salmonella in livestock.

Salmosan is a 100 percent natural vegetal product obtained through technological treatment of fractioning and purification. The product has a polysaccharides structure that blocs the fimbrial adhesion of salmonella to the intestinal enterocytes.

An active product, salmosan acts directly in the animal's intestine without the mediation of metabolites.

About 30 percent of livestock are considered as salmonella carriers and could risk transmission of the bacterium to foods.

The EU is dedicating much effort to eliminate salmonellosis by isolating and culling affected livestock as the use of antibiotics is disallowed.

IRTA is a research institute of the Catalan Government. Its activities are concerned with scientific research and technology transfer in the area of agriculture, aquaculture and the agrifood industry and it functions under private sector law.