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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #289353
Title: Salmonella prevalence in poultry varies greatly in emerging markets

Author
item ALALI, WALID - University Of Georgia
item DOYLE, M - University Of Georgia
item Cox Jr, Nelson
item WALLS, ISABEL - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)

Submitted to: WATT Poultry USA
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2012
Publication Date: 12/1/2012
Citation: Alali, W.Q., Doyle, M.P., Cox Jr, N.A., Walls, I. 2012. Salmonella prevalence in poultry varies greatly in emerging markets. WATT Poultry USA. Vol.13:No.12p.18-26.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Poultry meat continues to be a significant source for human salmonellosis worldwide. Retail establishments serve as an end point sale for raw and processed poultry products. Food safety surveillance systems for raw poultry have been carried out mainly at the processing plants. That being said, it is important to monitor the status of pathogens (e.g., Salmonella) on raw poultry at the retail level. There are many factors (e.g., temperature abuse, cross-contamination) that could affect the prevalence and population of Salmonella at retail. While data on Salmonella on raw poultry is available in several developed countries such as US-National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System - NARMS; such information is not available in many developing countries which limit the ability for international organizations such as WHO and FAO to perform risk assessments that are representative for poultry production worldwide. Due to lack of internationally agreed standards on acceptable Salmonella levels in raw poultry and methods of testing poultry products for the presence of Salmonella, various countries are formulating policies that lack a scientific basis. We conducted studies in China, Colombia, Russia and Vietnam to determine the prevalence, loads, serotypes, and antibiotic susceptibility of Salmonella on raw poultry at retail level. The overall Salmonella prevalence on broiler chicken in China, Colombia, Russia, and Vietnam were 52.2% (n = 1,152), 26.7% (n = 1,003), 31.5% (n = 698), and 45.9% (n = 1,000), respectively. In general, Salmonella prevalence was not significantly associated with one retail market type. Frozen chicken had lower Salmonella prevalence compared with chilled in China and Colombia, but not in Vietnam and Russia. The average concentration of Salmonella found was 1.7 and 2.75 log MPN / carcass in China and Colombia, respectively. Most common serotypes were Enteritidis, Indiana, and Typhimurium in China; whereas Paratyphi B, Enteritidis, and Heidelberg were most common in Colombia. Moderate-to-high levels of multi-drug resistant Salmonella were detected in both countries.