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Title: THE EFFECT OF SAFE2OTM-POULTRY WASH DURING FINAL WASH ON TOTAL AEROBES, E COLI, CAMPYLOBACTER, SALMONELLA, AND LISTERIA ON BROILER CARCASSES SAMPLED AFTER CHILLING

Author
item Dickens, James
item Ingram, Kimberly
item Hinton Jr, Arthur

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2002
Publication Date: 10/1/2002
Citation: Dickens, J.A., Ingram, K.D., Hinton Jr, A. 2002. The effect of safe2otm-poultry wash during final wash on total aerobes, e coli, campylobacter, salmonella, and listeria on broiler carcasses sampled after chilling. [abstract] Poultry Science.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Bacterial contamination of raw processed poultry continues to be of concern to consumers, as well as regulatory and health officials. For the past 40 yr scientists have been working on suitable and acceptable decontamination methods to reduce or eliminate spoilage organisms and human enteropathogens from raw processed meat and poultry products. Safe2OTM-Poultry Wash, a highly acidic calcium sulfate solution, was evaluated as a final wash before chilling for its ability to reduce total aerobic plate counts and enteric pathogens on chilled broiler carcasses. Fifty-four carcasses were picked up from a local processor prior to final wash. On arrival back at the research facility all carcasses were inoculated with one ml of a cocktail containing 3 Log10 CFU/ml of Naladixic acid-resistant Salmonella typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes. After a 30 min attachment time, six plant run control carcasses (PRC) were immediately subjected to a whole carcass rinse (WCR). The remaining carcasses were subjected to a 4 sec in/out spray with either 1.5 L de-ionized water or Safe2OTM-Poultry Wash, hung for 3 min, then chilled for 45 min. After chill, a WCR was performed on all carcasses. Microbiological analyses were conducted on the rinsates for total aerobes, E. coli, Campylobacter, S. typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes. All bacterial counts Log10 CFU/ml were lowered by the water spray treatment and lowered further by the Safe2OTM- Poultry Wash spray treatment. Total aerobic plate counts and E. coli counts from PRC were 4.56 and 3.34, from water sprayed carcasses 4.04 and 2.02, and from Safe2OTM treated carcasses 3.39 and 1.60, respectively. Log10 Campylobacter counts were 2.18 for the PRC, 1.47 for the water spray treatment and 0.55 for the Safe2OTM-Poultry Wash. S. typhimurium were significantly reduced by the water spray treatment from 1.57 to 0.28, and no S. typhimurium were recovered from the carcasses treated with the Safe2OTM-Poultry Wash. Log10 L. monocytogenes counts were 2.56 for the PRC, 1.68 for the water spray, and 0.95 for the Safe2OTM-Poultry Wash. Acceptance and use of the Safe2OTM-Poultry Wash at the final in/out wash in commercial poultry processing plants could lead to a microbiologically safer product for consumers here and abroad.