Purpose: Determine the efficacy of three antimicrobials on poultry parts when applied to whole parts and ground.
Methods: Fresh skin-on boneless poultry parts were sampled. Control samples were untreated; treated samples were treated with the following antimicrobials: cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC, trade name Cecure®) - 0.6%; hydrochloric and citric acid (ACID, trade name Citrilow™) - pH 1.2; peracetic acid (PAA, trade name Peragonn™) - 200 ppm.
For each treatment set, samples were tested as whole or ground product. Samples were tested for Aerobic Plate Count (APC) and Enterobacteriaceae (ENT) bacteria (3M Petrifilm™). Data was converted to log CFU per ml for whole parts and per g for ground product.
Results: Whole control samples had an average APC log count of 4.71. The average APC counts for CPC, ACID, and PAA were 2.62, 2.74, and 3.77, respectively; CPC showed the greatest reduction of 2.09 logs. The average ENT count for the whole control samples was 3.50. The average ENT counts for CPC, ACID and PAA were 1.31, 1.56 and 3.05, respectively; CPC showed the greatest reduction of 2.19 logs.
Ground control samples averaged 4.71 logs of APC. The CPC, ACID and PAA results were 2.77, 2.82, and 3.82, respectively; CPC showed the greatest reduction of 1.94 logs. The control ENT log count was 3.40. CPC, ACID and PAA log results were 2.15, 2.69 and 3.42, respectively; CPC showed the greatest reduction at 1.25 logs. All results (except PAA APC result) showed reductions.
Significance: The use of CPC or ACID antimicrobial on poultry parts for ground products can significantly reduce the APC and Enterobacteriaceae counts on the finished products, providing a safer product for the consumer.