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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #170883
Title: MICROBICIDAL ACTIVITY OF TRIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE AND LAURIC ACID TOWARDS SPOILAGE AND PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS ASSOCIATED WITH POULTRY

Author
item Hinton Jr, Arthur
item Ingram, Kimberly

Submitted to: International Poultry Forum Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/8/2005
Publication Date: 7/31/2005
Citation: Hinton Jr, A., Ingram, K.D. 2005. Microbicidal activity of tripotassium phosphate and lauric acid towards spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms associated with poultry [abstract]. International Poultry Forum Proceedings. 84(suppl.1):128.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The ability of solutions of tripotassium phosphate (TPP) and lauric acid to reduce populations of microorganisms associated with processed poultry was examined. TPP solutions were prepared by dissolving TPP in distilled water, and mixtures of TPP with lauric acid were prepared by dissolving lauric acid in TPP solutions. Isolates of Gram negative bacteria (Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella typhimurium), Gram positive bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus), and yeasts (Candida ernobii and Yarrowia lipolytica) were used. Cultures were suspended in solutions of TPP or mixtures of TPP with lauric acid for 5 min, and viable colony-forming-units (cfu)/ml in the suspensions were enumerated. The bactericidal activity of TPP towards Gram negative bacterial isolates was examined by suspending cultures in separate tubes of peptone water (PW) or 2.0 % TPP. Results indicated that although bacteria were recovered from the PW, no bacteria were recovered from any suspensions of Gram negative bacteria in TPP. Cultures of C. ernobii, Y. lipolytica, and L. monocytogenes were suspended in solutions of PW, 2.0% TPP, or 2.0% TPP with 0.5% lauric acid. Results indicated that significantly fewer cfu/ml were recovered from 2.0% TPP than from the PW, and that no C. ernobii, Y. lipolytica, or L. monocytogenes were recovered from TPP -lauric acid mixtures. The most resistant isolate, S. aureus, was suspended in solutions of PW; 2.0% TPP with 0.0, 0.5 and 1.0% lauric acid; 3.0% TPP with 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% lauric acid; or 4.0% TPP with 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0% lauric acid. Increasing the amount of TPP or lauric acid in the TPP-lauric acid mixtures significantly reduced the number of cfu/ml of S. aureus recovered when the bacterium was suspended in the mixtures. No S. aureus cells were recovered from solutions of 3.0% TPP with 1.5% lauric acid or 4.0% TPP with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0% lauric acid. Findings indicate that TPP and lauric acid possess microbicidal activity against several microorganisms associated with processed poultry. These solutions may be useful as microbicides to reduce the population of bacteria and yeasts associated with poultry processing.