Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate whether a commercially available disinfectant with biofilm removal capabilities, used as a supplement to the standard injection system and needle cleaning regimen, can increase finished product shelf life.
Methods: A two week shelf-life study was conducted comparing a traditional cleaning regimen to treat an injector and components to a regimen that adds a commercially available disinfectant formulated for biofilm removal (Sterilex Corporation, Hunt Valley, MD). Baseline raw dark poultry meat samples were collected and compared against samples of raw dark poultry meat collected after injector treatment with the disinfectant product over a 14 day period. Shelf life of meat was determined by looking at both microbiological metrics (APC and Total Coliform counts) as well as organoleptic observations.
Results: An evaluation of microbiological APC counts & coliform counts as well as organoleptic properties of the poultry samples over the 14 day evaluation period yielded finished product shelf life of eight (8) days for the control sample and thirteen (13) days for the treated sample. Microbiological thresholds were reached on treated samples 4-5 days later than the control sample, leading to an increase in shelf life (106 CFU/ml for APC and 105 CFU/ml for Coliform). Organoleptic differences between the two sets of samples were even more dramatic.
Significance: These data demonstrate that the addition of a commercial disinfecting agent with biofilm removal efficacy to an injection sanitation program can increase finished product shelf life.