Skip to main content
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 #300079
Title: Comparison of US and EU Salmonella detection methods

Author
item Cox, Nelson - Nac
item CASON, J - Retired ARS Employee
item Berrang, Mark
item HOFACRE, C - University Of Georgia
item Cosby, Douglas
item BIGGS, R - Tegel Foods Ltd
item WAGENER, S - Ministry For Primary Industries
item LAMMERDING, A - Aml Consulting
item DOYLE, M - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: WATT Poultry USA
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2013
Publication Date: 1/14/2014
Citation: Cox Jr, N.A., Cason, J.A., Berrang, M.E., Hofacre, C., Cosby, D.E., Biggs, R., Wagener, S., Lammerding, A.M., Doyle, M.P. 2014. Comparison of US and EU Salmonella detection methods. WATT Poultry USA. 15(1):28-30.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sampling protocols for detecting Salmonella on poultry differ among countries. In the United States, the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service dictates that whole broiler carcasses should be rinsed with 400 mL of 1% buffered peptone water and 30 mL of this be analyzed, whereas in the European Union 25 g samples composed of neck skin from three carcasses are evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a whole carcass rinse (WCR) and a neck skin (NS) procedure for Salmonella prevalence from the same broiler carcass. Carcasses were obtained from three broiler processing plants. The skin around the neck was aseptically removed and bagged separately from the carcass, and microbiological analysis was performed. The corresponding carcass was bagged and a WCR sample was evaluated. No significant difference (P = 0.05) in Salmonella prevalence was found between the samples processed by the two methods. Prechill 66/180 carcasses by WCR and 49/180 by NS were positive for Salmonella. Postchill 5/177 by WCR and 12/177 by NS were positive for Salmonella. Even though some insensitivity does exist, the fact that results with these two methods are similar allows one to compare Salmonella prevalence results on broiler carcass studies conducted in the U. S. and E. U. and other parts of the world using either method.