Encapsulated peracetic acid as a valid broad-spectrum antimicrobial alternative, leading to beneficial microbiota compositional changes and enhanced performance in broiler chickens.

Peracetic acid could be used as a safe broad-spectrum antimicrobial alternative in broilers. Encapsulated precursors were able to reduce the bacterial concentration in the jejunum whilst promoting the proliferation of probiotic genera in the caeca, especially at the low peracetic acid concentrations tested, and improve growth performance. Moreover, our findings offer further insights on potential benefits of rearing birds on re-used litter, suggesting that the latter could be associated with better performance and reduced antimicrobial resistance risk compared to clean litter rearing.