Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of commercial antimicrobials on Salmonella inoculated chicken liver.
Methods: A cocktail (Kentucky, Typhimurium, and Enteritidis) of rifampicin resistant Salmonella at 106 CFU/ml was used to dip inoculate previously frozen chicken livers. Samples (n = 3; 1-lb samples) of inoculated livers were treated accordingly: 1) a negative control (NC), 2) positive control (CP), 3) immersion chilled positive control (CCP), 4) immersion chilled with 20 ppm CL, 5) immersion chilled and 10 s dip in 200 ppm PAA (PAA200), 6) immersion chiller with 24 ppm PAA (PAA24), 7) livers dipped in 0.3% CPC for 10 s, rinsed, and immersion chilled, 8) livers dipped in Citralow at 1.2 pH for 10 s then immersion chilled (LPH). Immersion-chilled livers were held in 4°C tap water for 45 min before collecting and rinsing with 100 ml buffer peptone water. The rinsate was serially diluted and plated on brilliant green agar with rifampicin. The twice replicated experiment was analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan’s Multiple Range test.
Results: Results of CP indicated an initial load of 5.68 log CFU/ml which was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than other treatments (5.10 Cl , 5.09 PAA24, 4.98 CCP, and 4.80 PAA200). The LPH and the CPC were significantly lower (4.73 and 4.60; respectively) than the CP and other antimicrobials. In conclusion, all the antimicrobials tested reduced SC on liver tissue; however, CPC and Citrilow had the highest reduction.
Significance: These findings provide the industry information to select adequate antimicrobials to improve food safety. Further research is needed to understand the interactions of the antimicrobials with the liver tissue.