Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the microbiological quality and the efficacy of antimicrobials to inactivate Salmonella on broiler carcasses and wings processed at a small USDA-inspected facility in WV.
Methods: Study I, 25 broiler carcasses were rinsed, pre-enriched in buffered peptone water (BPW), enriched in Rappaport-Vassiliadis medium and streak-plated onto XLT-4 and HardyCHROM™-agar. Presumptive colonies of Salmonella were confirmed by API-20E kits and qPCR (InvA gene). Aerobic plate counts (APCs), E. coli/Coliforms, and Yeast/Molds were analyzed on petrifilms. Study II, broiler carcasses and wings were spot inoculated with a two-strain mixture of Salmonella Typhimurium and Tennessee (5.7 log CFU/ml of sample rinsate), and then undipped, or dipped into peroxyacetic acid (PAA; 1,000-ppm), lactic acid (LA; 5%), lactic and citric acid blend (LCA; 2.5%), and sodium hypochlorite (SH; 70 ppm) for 30 s. Surviving bacteria were recovered in BPW (60-s shake) and spread-plated onto tryptic soy agar, XLT-4 and HardyCHROM™-agar. Data (2 replicates/3-4 samples/replicate) were analyzed using the ANOVA of SAS.
Results: APCs, coliforms, and Yeast/Molds were 2.62, 1.08, and 2.37 log CFU/ml on broiler carcasses, respectively. Thirty % (8/25) and 40% (10/25) of carcasses were positive for Salmonella enterica spp. and generic E. coli (0.48-1.70 log CFU/ml), respectively. Fewer (P<0.05) Salmonella were on broiler carcasses and wings treated with all antimicrobials with the fewest pathogen recovered on PAA treated carcasses (3.79 log CFU/ml) and wings (4.67 log CFU/ml). Reduction of Salmonella increased in the order SH (0.87 log CFU/ml) ≤ LCA (0.97 log CFU/ml) < LA (1.23 log CFU/ml) < PAA (1.52 log CFU/ml).
Significance: Results suggested the high percentage of Salmonella on locally produced broiler carcasses, and indicated that applying post-chilling antimicrobial dipping treatments could be a potential intervention approach to control Salmonella on locally raised/processed broilers.