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Title: Impact of Added Sand on the Recovery of Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, and Coliforms from Pre-Chill and Post-Chill Commercial Broiler Carcass Halves

Author
item HANNAH, J - UGA
item FLETCHER, D - UGA
item Cox Jr, Nelson
item Smith, Douglas
item Cason Jr, John
item Northcutt, Julie
item Richardson, Larry
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Poultry Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2009
Publication Date: 6/1/2009
Citation: Hannah, J.F., Fletcher, D.L., Cox Jr, N.A., Smith, D.P., Cason Jr, J.A., Northcutt, J.K., Richardson, L.J., Buhr, R.J. 2009. Impact of Added Sand on the Recovery of Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, and Coliforms from Pre-Chill and Post-Chill Commercial Broiler Carcass Halves. Journal of Applied Poultry Research. 18:(2)252-258.

Interpretive Summary: Bacterial related foodborne gastroenteritis is commonly caused by Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. Since both of these pathogens can be found on raw poultry carcasses, the ability to accurately detect and measure Salmonella and Campylobacter is an important factor in reducing foodborne illness. Salmonella and Campylobacter may persist on poultry carcasses due to their ability to remain attached to the surface of the carcass during processing procedures. Plants routinely sample to determine overall carcass contamination but it is difficult to remove all the bacteria from the skin with current methodology procedures such as the whole carcass rinse. The objectives of the study were to determine whether sand added to carcass rinse would affect the incidence of Salmonella and Campylobacter recovered from pre-chill and post-chill carcasses and the counts of Salmonella, coliform and E. coli. Differences were observed when sand was added to the carcass rinse procedure but a significant increase in bacterial recovery was not observed.

Technical Abstract: Salmonella and Campylobacter are often associated with raw poultry products and continue to be leading sources of foodborne gastroenteritis in the United States. As a result, the presence of these organisms on broiler carcasses is monitored on a routine basis. More abrasive rinse methods have been shown to increase the level of bacteria recovered from carcasses. The objective of this study was to evaluate an abrasive added to the rinse for bacterial enumeration and to determine the incidence of pathogens recovered from broiler carcasses. During each of 4 replications, 6 pre-chill and 6 post-chill broiler carcasses were collected from a commercial processing plant. All carcasses were split along the dorso-ventral midline. One half of each carcass was rinsed in peptone, while the companion half was rinsed in peptone with sterile sand added. All carcasses were shaken for 1 min and the rinsate collected. Salmonella, coliforms, and Escherichia coli were enumerated from rinsates and the prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter determined. Salmonella and Campylobacter were isolated from 17% and 50% of the carcass halves, respectively. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in Salmonella or Campylobacter incidence between the two rinsing treatments. Addition of sand to the rinse had no effect on the number of Salmonella recovered from pre or post-chill carcasses halves. Coliform and E. coli numbers obtained from the peptone rinse treatment were not significantly different than those recovered from the peptone with added sand rinse treatment. These results show that incorporating sand into the carcass rinse did not improve bacterial recovery from the carcass.