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Title: COMPARISON OF PSYCHROTROPHIC BACTERIAL FLORA OF FRESH AND MARINATED CHICKEN BREAST FILLETS DURING REFRIGERATED STORAGE

Author
item Hinton Jr, Arthur
item Young, Louis
item Smith, Douglas
item Ingram, Kimberly

Submitted to: International Association for Food Protection
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/2004
Publication Date: 7/15/2004
Citation: Hinton Jr, A., Young, L.L., Smith, D.P., Ingram, K.D. 2004. Comparison of psychrotrophic bacterial flora of fresh and marinated chicken breast fillets during refrigerated storage [abstract]. International Association for Food Protection.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Differences in populations of psychrotrophic bacteria on non-marinated and marinated chicken breasts fillets stored at 4C were examined. Fresh, breast fillets were purchased from a local supermarket. One group of fillets received no marination treatment, while the other fillets were marinated in a solution of 10 % NaCl and 4% sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) in a pilot-scale, vacuum tumbler. Fillets were marinated for 30 min under 15 Hg vacuum and tumbled at 15 rpm. Individual fillets were sealed in Ziploc® bags and stored at 4oC. On Days 0, 7, and 14, fillets were rinsed in 100 ml of sterile distilled water, rinsates were decanted, and psychotrophic bacteria in rinsates were enumerated by plating dilutions on Plate Count Agar and incubating at 4C for 10 days. Bacterial isolates were identified using the MIDI Sherlock Microbial Identification System. Data indicated that significantly (P < 0.05) more psychrotrophs were recovered from marinated fillets (log 3.10 cfu/ml) than from non-marinated fillets (log 1.59 cfu/ml) on Day 0; however, significantly more psychrotrophs were recovered from non-marinated fillets than marinated fillets on Day 7 (log 6.58 and 5.75 cfu/ml, respectively) and on Day 14 (log 8.62 and 8.11 cfu/ml, respectively). Additionally, significant (P < 0.05) increases in the psychrotrophic population occurred between Days 0 and 7 and between Days 7 and 14 on non-marinated and marinated fillets. Pseudomonas spp. were the predominant psychrotrophs recovered from non-marinated and marinated breast. Findings indicated that although NaCl/STPP marination significantly reduces growth of psychrotrophs on breast fillets, marination was unable to prevent psychrotrophic spoilage.