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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 #326055
Title: Treatment with a low pH processing aid to reduce Campylobacter counts on broiler parts

Author
item LANDRUM, M - University Of Georgia
item Cox Jr, Nelson
item Cosby, Douglas
item Berrang, Mark
item RUSSELL, S - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/24/2016
Publication Date: 10/12/2016
Citation: Landrum, M.A., Cox Jr, N.A., Cosby, D.E., Berrang, M.E., Russell, S.M. 2016. Treatment with a low pH processing aid to reduce campylobacter counts on broiler parts. Poultry Science. 96:1028-1031. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pew351.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pew351

Interpretive Summary: New performance standards for Campylobacter have been implemented and FSIS estimates that 46% of the poultry processing plants will be unable to meet the new standards. This study demonstrated that treatment of raw poultry with a low pH processing aid (PoultrypHresh™) reduced the number of Campylobacter cells by almost 3 logs and this should allow more processors to meet the new standards for pathogen reduction.

Technical Abstract: New regulations and performance standards for Campylobacter have been implemented by the USDA - Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The objective of this study was to evaluate treatment with a low pH processing aid (CMS PoultrypHreshTM), a formulated low pH processing aid, to reduce numbers of Campylobacter which could help companies meet regulatory requirements. Two experiments (3 replicates each) were conducted. Experiment 1, in each of 3 replicates, skin-on split chicken breasts (n=15) were obtained from a local grocery and divided into groups of 5. The skin of each part was inoculated with approximately 107 cells of a gentamicin resistant C. coli (CCGR) marker strain in an area of approximately 6.5 cm2. CCGR cells were allowed to attach for 5 min prior to treatment. Ten inoculated breasts were individually placed into separate 6 L plastic storage boxes containing either 3.5 L deionized water or PoultrypHreshTM solution at a pH of 1.4. Parts were subjected to agitation (bubbled air) for 25 s. After treatment, each part was removed, allowed to drain for 5 s, and placed into a plastic bag prior to mechanical rinsing with 150 mL of BPW for 60 s. Five inoculated breasts served as controls, were untreated with a dip or agitation and sampled as above. Experiment 2 procedures were repeated using skin-on thighs under the same conditions. Rinsates were collected from each chicken part, serially diluted and plated onto Campy Cefex agar with 200 ppm gentamicin (CCGen). All plates were incubated microaerobically (5% O2, 10% CO2, 85% N2) for 48 h at 42°C, colonies were counted and the cfu/mL was log transformed. The use of PoultrypHreshTM on split breast produced a 99.6% reduction compared to untreated controls, while thighs showed a 99.4% reduction. This study demonstrated an approximate 3 log reduction (p<0.05) using a 25 s air agitation treatment in PoultrypHreshTM at pH 1.4 with no observable damage, which will help processors meet FSIS regulations.