The overuse of antimicrobials in food-producing animals, particularly poultry, has led to growing concerns about multidrug microbial resistance, posing significant risks to both human and animal health. Subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics have traditionally been used to enhance growth and improve economic efficiency in poultry farming. However, these practices have facilitated the emergence of resistant microbial strains, threatening global health security and prompting a search for sustainable alternatives. This review highlights the significance of phytogenic as feed additives (PFAs) as promising substitutes for antibiotic as feed additives (AFAs) in poultry production. PFAs, derived from plant-based compounds, exhibit multiple beneficial properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and immune-modulatory effects. Moreover, they offer the potential to produce high-quality organic poultry products while reducing the likelihood of microbial resistance. Despite these advantages, inconsistent results among studies underscore the importance of standardized approaches to maximize their efficacy. This review aims to evaluate the current status of antibiotic use in poultry farming globally, explore the properties and mechanisms of PFAs, and assess their potential as viable alternatives to antibiotics. By consolidating available knowledge, this review provides insights into the benefits and challenges associated with PFAs, offering guidance for future research and practical applications in sustainable poultry production. Keywords: alternatives, antibiotics, phytogenic, poultry production.

The increasing complexity of food production and processing has raised concerns regarding food process contaminants, which pose significant public health risks. Food process contaminants can be introduced during diverse phases of food processing such as drying, heating, grilling, and fermentation, resulting in the synthesis of harmful chemicals including acrylamide (AA), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), furan and its naturally occurring derivatives, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), 2-chloropropane-1,2-diol esters (2-MCPDE), and 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol esters (3-MCPDE), ethyl carbamate (EC), glycidyl esters (GE), and 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), all of these are harmful to human health. Although these compounds can be somewhat prevented during processing, eliminating them can often be challenging due to their unknown formation mechanism. Moreover, prolonged exposure to these dangerous compounds might harm human health. There is limited understanding of the sources, formation processes, and hazards of food processing contaminants, and a lack of knowledge of the mechanisms involved in how to control their generation. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the harmful effects associated with food process contaminants generated during thermal processing and fermentation, alongside elemental process contaminants and their potential threats to human health. Furthermore, this study identifies existing knowledge gaps proposes avenues for future inquiry, and emphasizes the necessity of employing a multi-disciplinary approach to alleviate the public health risks posed by food process contaminants, advocating for cooperative initiatives among food scientists, public health officials, and regulatory entities to enhance food safety and protect consumer health.

Thermal treatment of food can lead to the formation of potentially harmful chemicals, known as process contaminants. These are adventitious contaminants that are formed in food during processing and preparation. Various food processing techniques, such as heating, drying, grilling, and fermentation, can generate hazardous chemicals such as acrylamide (AA), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), furan, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), monochloropropane diols (MCPD) and their esters (MCPDE) which can be detrimental to human health. Despite efforts to prevent the formation of these compounds during processing, eliminating them is often challenging due to their unknown formation mechanisms. It is critical to identify the potential harm to human health in processed food and understand the mechanisms by which harmful compounds form during processing, as prolonged exposure to these toxic compounds can lead to health problems. Various mitigation strategies, such as the use of diverse pre- and post-processing treatments, product reformulation, additives, variable process conditions, and novel integrated processing techniques, have been proposed to control these food hazards. In this review, we summarize the formation and occurrence, the potential for harm to human health produced by process contaminants in food, and potential mitigation strategies to minimize their impact.

Antibiotics are natural, semi-synthetic, or chemical compounds that have anti-microbial activity and are used in livestock and poultry production for a variety of reasons, including therapeutic and growth promotion. The use of antibiotics in poultry production has been associated with the development of resistant bacteria. The present study attempted to explain the role of antibiotics as poultry growth promoters, bacterial resistance, and risks for human health, with a special focus on some selected bacterial species isolated from poultry farms and products. Furthermore, the manuscript reviewed the literature on alternative feed additives to reduce the reliance on antibiotics. Microbial resistance is a significant global health concern that has been a top global threat in the 21st century. The use of antibiotics in poultry production as non-therapeutic or growth promoters is at low doses and continuously, associated with developing resistant bacteria. Meanwhile, antibiotic-resistant genes in humans may have their roots in the diets of animals treated with antibiotics. Developing bacterial resistance has encouraged researchers to reduce the reliance on antibiotics by identifying potential feed additives, such as essential oils, bacteriophages, antimicrobial peptides, probiotics, prebiotics, organic acid, and enzymes that improve the immune system functions, reduce morbidity and mortality, improve the growth performances of poultry, and preserve consumer health.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral disease with a Case Fatality Ratio (CFR) of 10-40 %. It spreads from livestock to humans primarily through tick bites. It is crucial to monitor the peak months of this endemic disease in Afghanistan. Currently, the country is grappling with a potential national outbreak of CCHF, facing limitations in both diagnostic and preventive measures. Therefore, this study aims to describe CCHF prevalence during spike months (June-September) from 2015 to 2024, coinciding with Eid-al-Adha, and assess CCHF familiarity among inhabitants in eight regions of Afghanistan. We have analyzed the National Surveillance System data (2015-2024) on retrospective basis. A structured questionnaire was developed to assess CCHF knowledge among inhabitants of eight regions. Data analysis included percentages, frequencies, chi-square tests, using SPSS and power BI. The national surveillance system recorded 1796 CCHF confirmed cases with 238 deaths during spike months from 2015 to 2024. The highest number of Reported cases was in 2023 (734 cases, 78 deaths), followed by 2022 (221 cases). During Eid-al-Adha months from 2015 to 2024, there were 804 CCHF cases and 176 deaths, with the most in 2023 (313 cases, 78 deaths) and the fewest in 2015 (7 cases, 2 deaths). A survey of 1440 inhabitants (80 % male, 20 % female) across eight regions of Afghanistan showed knowledge of CCHF varied within regions. Correct responses were highest in the central region (394/815), followed by north (336/760). Incorrect responses were highest in central highlands (1039/1440), followed by west (450/881), indicating limited knowledge despite annual spikes in cases. The surge in CCHF outbreaks during Eid-al-Adha in Afghanistan underscores the challenge posed by limited knowledge of the disease. Uncontrolled animal movement and self-slaughter during Eid festival emphasize the urgent need for targeted public health strategies by relevant ministries.