ARS | Publication request: Influence of hard water ions on the growth rate of Salmonella Typhimurium

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 2, 2012
Publication Date: July 9, 2012
Citation: Holser, R.A., Hawkins, S.A., Hinton Jr, A., Wells, S.M. 2012. Influence of hard water ions on the growth rate of Salmonella Typhimurium [abstract]. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract.

Technical Abstract: The influence of magnesium and calcium ions in process water on the growth of Salmonella typhimurium was evaluated to address the concerns for food quality and safety. Salmonella typhimurium was exposed to media containing 500 ppm and 1000 ppm of magnesium and calcium ions for 45 minutes followed by inoculation into fresh media. These inoculations were prepared directly in well plates and incubated at 35°C in the Bioscreen C instrument. Optical density measurements were recorded at 15 minute intervals for 48 hours. The resultant growth curves were analyzed using the lag time as a measure of the inhibitory influence of the ions. Samples exposed to 1%, 5%, and 10% trisodium phosphate solutions were included in the experimental design for comparison. The trisodium phosphate treatment exhibited a dose-response with increasing lag time observed with increasing concentration. Exposure to these levels of hard water ions showed antimicrobial activity toward S. typhimurium comparable to the 5% treatment with trisodium phosphate. This is relevant where process water directly contacts the poultry carcass during washing and chilling operations and the presence of pathogenic bacteria increases the risk of cross-contamination.