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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 #415740
Research Project: Intervention Strategies to Control Salmonella and Campylobacter During Poultry Processing

Location: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit

Title: Detection of Salmonella from pullet through the final raw product of a conventional broiler complex

Author
item ADHIKARI, YAGYA - Auburn University
item BAILEY, MATTHEW - Auburn University
item GAONKAR, PANKAJ - Auburn University
item KITCHENS, STEVEN - Auburn University
item MUNOZ, LUIS - Auburn University
item BOURASSA, DIANNA - Auburn University
item PRICE, STUARD - Auburn University
item Buhr, Richard
item MACKLIN, KENNETH - Auburn University

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/2024
Publication Date: 7/15/2024
Citation: Adhikari, Y., Bailey, M.A., Gaonkar, P., Kitchens, S., Munoz, L.R., Bourassa, D.V., Price, S.B., Buhr, R.J., Macklin, K.S. 2024. Detection of Salmonella from pullet through the final raw product of a conventional broiler complex. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. 103(E-Suppl.1): 59, pg.33.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Salmonella is a gram negative, rod-shaped, entero-invasive foodborne pathogen which is frequently detected in chicken houses and facilities of a broiler complex. In humans, it can cause diarrhea when cross-contaminated with chicken meat/ eggs or other food sources. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and potential sources of Salmonella contamination along the various locations of a broiler complex. A total of 1071 farm environmental samples were collected from inside and outside of 38 production houses (8 pullet, 10 breeder, and 20 broiler), a hatchery, 6 trucks, and a processing plant of a conventional broiler complex. All samples were pre-enriched with buffered peptone water for 24 hours, and the pre-enrichments were pre-screened with a 3M Molecular Detection System (MDS). The suspect positive samples were further processed for confirmation. Data were analyzed using R® (version 4.3.1) using Generalized Linear Modeling for binomial distribution. The odds ratio for Salmonella detection and 95% confidence intervals were compared among various locations and different sample types. The level of significance was set to a < 0.05. Based on MDS results, 21% (227/1071) of total samples and 47% (18/38) of total production houses were found to be Salmonella positive. The pathogen was detected in all locations and all 13 different sample types. Out of 227 MDS Salmonella positive samples, 192 samples were also positive on culture. Interestingly, the odds of Salmonella detection in facilities such as processing plant, transport, and hatchery were found to be significantly higher (p<0.05) as compared to production houses. The odds of Salmonella detection in processing plant were 25.46 times (11.47 – 60.41; 95% CLs) as likely as its detection in production farms (p<0.001). Similarly, the odds of Salmonella detection in boot swabs, sponge-stick swabs, post-picking carcass rinses, and water samples were found to be significantly higher (p<0.05) as compared to the rest of the sample types. From the above results, we can conclude that Salmonella is present in the surroundings of chicken houses and facilities which can potentially enter the broiler complex and could cause foodborne illness in consumers. Further, whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of isolated pathogens could be helpful to know the potential sources and the dissemination pattern along the poultry food chain for improved control strategies.