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Title: Bacterial flora of skin of processed broilers after multiple washing in potassium hydroxide and lauric acid

Author
item Hinton Jr, Arthur
item Cason Jr, John

Submitted to: Poultry International Exposition
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2007
Publication Date: 1/21/2008
Citation: Hinton Jr, A., Cason Jr, J.A. 2008. Bacterial flora of skin of processed broilers after multiple washing in potassium hydroxide and lauric acid [abstract]. Poultry International Exposition. 87(Suppl.1):134.

Interpretive Summary: None.

Technical Abstract: The number of various types of bacteria on skin of processed broilers was determined after each of five consecutive washings in mixtures of potassium hydroxide (KOH) and lauric acid (LA). Breast skin was taken from carcasses obtained from a commercial processing facility. Portions of skin were washed using a Stomacher laboratory blender to stomach skin in distilled water (control) or in mixtures of 0.25% KOH-0.50% LA or 0.50% KOH-1.00% LA. After each wash, skin was transferred to fresh solutions and washing was repeated to provide skins samples washed for 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 times in each solution. Washed skin was stomached in Butterfield’s Phosphate Buffer, and the bacterial flora of the rinsates was enumerated on Plate Count (PC) Agar, Staphylococcus (STA) Agar, Levine Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) Agar, Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) Agar, and Perfringens (PER) Agar with TSC supplement. Results indicated that there was no significant difference in the number of bacteria recovered on PC, STA, EMB, LAB, or PER agars from skin washed 1 or 5 times in water. Significantly fewer bacteria were recovered on PC, STA, and EMB agars from rinsates of skin washed 5 times in 0.25% KOH-0.50% than from skin washed 1 time in this solution. There was no significant difference in the number of bacteria recovered on LAB or PER agars from skin washed 1 to 5 times 0.25% KOH-0.50% LA, however. Finally, no bacteria were recovered on LAB agar from rinsates of skin washed 3 or more times in 0.50% KOH-1.00% LA or on PER and EMB agars from rinsates of skin washed 4 or 5 times in this solution. Significantly fewer bacteria were recovered on PC Agar from skin washed 5 times in 0.50% KOH-1.00% LA than from skin washed 1 time in the solution, but there was no significant difference in the number of bacteria recovered on STA Agar from skin washed 1 to 5 times in 0.50% KOH-1.00% LA. Findings indicate that although bacteria can be continually shed during repeated washing of poultry skin, bactericidal surfactants can be used to remove and kill several types of bacteria found on chicken skin.