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Title: INCIDENCE OF BACILLUS CEREUS IN RETAIL CHICKEN PRODUCTS

Author
item Smith, Douglas
item Berrang, Mark
item Feldner, Peggy

Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2003
Publication Date: 8/10/2003
Citation: Smith, D.P., Berrang, M.E., Feldner, P.W. 2003. Incidence of bacillus cereus in retail chicken products. [abstract] Journal of Food Protection. (suppl.):104.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Five chicken meat products, obtained at retail stores, were evaluated for the presence of Bacillus cereus. Products tested were: Breaded, fully cooked, frozen nuggets (NUGGETS); breaded, fully cooked, frozen tenders (TENDERS); fully-cooked, frozen, white meat fajita-style strips (STRIPS); raw, refrigerated boneless skinless marinated breast fillets (FILLETS); and, raw, refrigerated, cut-up, tray pack bone-in parts (PARTS). For each of the five product types, 25 g of tissue was excised from each of four replicate packages, in each of three replicate trials (n=60). The 25 g samples were enriched in 225 ml trypticase soy-polymixin broth for 18-24 h at 30 C, then plated on MYP agar and incubated 18-24 h at 30 C. Colonies characteristic of B. cereus were chosen and replated for isolation on MYP agar. Suspect colonies were confirmed as B. cereus by gram reaction, hemolysis on blood agar, and a biochemical test strip. Overall, B. cereus was detected in 27 of 60 samples. Incidence by product was: NUGGETS (11/12); TENDERS (8/12); STRIPS (6/12); PARTS (2/12); and, FILLETS (0/12). Results indicate that Bacillus cereus organisms were present on most retail poultry products tested in this study, especially fully cooked products.