The use of antibiotics with therapeutical or prophylactical purposes is a common practice in livestock. These antimicrobials are often administered to food animals through medicated feedingstuffs.

Antibiotics in feedingstuffs

Medicated feedingstuffs may be defined as mixtures of veterinary medicinal products and feed intended to be fed to animals because of their therapeutic or preventive features. Antimicrobial products that are part of medicated feedingstuffs must have been authorised for the animal species which the feed is administrated to and must also be included in Council Regulation 2377/90.

Bacterial starter cultures are fundamental for sausage fermentation. These lactic acid bacteria ferment the raw meat and guarantee that final product is acidic enough to kill pathogens that might have existed.