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Table 1 Some of the most explored antibiotic alternatives with the potential of feasible usages within the animal production chain

From: Innovative drugs, chemicals, and enzymes within the animal production chain

Alternative

Mode of action

Advantages

Challenges

Continuous use

Drugs targeting quorum-sensing

The disruption of bacterial quorum-sensing

Specific targets

Expensive

No, as concerns for developing resistance do exist

Recombinant enzymes

Varying mechanisms that span the generation of H2O2 to the enhancement of dietary protein digestibility

Varying targets with the possibility of combining more than one mechanism in parallel

Expensive

Yes, without any concerns of resistance-development

Phytochemicals/botanicals

Varying mechanisms

Low costs

Varying outcomes and efficiencies

Yes, without any concerns of resistance development

Minerals

Production of hydroxyl radicals and/or reactive oxygen species

Most effective

High concentrations are needed

No as concerns for environmental contaminations with heavy metals exist

Organic acids/acidifiers

The un-dissociated acids diffuse across cell-membranes destroying the cytoplasm of pathogens or inhibiting their growth

Low costs

Varying outcomes and efficiencies based on the used compound

Yes, without any concerns of resistance-development

Yeast cell walls and mannan-oligosaccharides

Inhibit the adherence of bacterial cells

Low costs

Not fully validated/tested

Yes, without any concerns of resistance-development