Location: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit
Project Number: 6040-32000-085-008-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2024
End Date: Aug 31, 2028
Objective:
1. Conduct a sampling survey of NRTE (not ready to eat) poultry products from the processing facility through retail to collect and compare Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates.
2. Determine factors which allow some Salmonella and Campylobacter to survive on meat from the poultry processing facility through to retail grocery markets.
Approach:
Objective 1. To survey NRTE poultry products from processing through retail, samples will be collected from poultry processing facilities that produce product for both tray pack (raw products for the retail grocery market) and for further processing (value-added, e.g. portioning, marination, par-fry, etc.). Samples will be collected at rehang, post-chilling, at packaging for transport, and at either retail stores or at the further processing facility prior to and following value-added processes. Isolates of both Salmonella and Campylobacter will undergo whole genome sequencing to identify relatedness between sampling points.
Objective 2. At retail raw chicken of various forms (e.g. breast fillets, wings, ground, etc.) from various facility types (e.g. conventional, no antibiotics ever, organic, etc.) will be collected and evaluated for Salmonella and Campylobacter levels and prevalence. Retail isolates of both Salmonella and Campylobacter will be cross referenced with reported facility data and undergo whole genome sequencing. Following whole genome sequencing, isolates will be characterized with the goal of better understanding why those particular isolates are able to survive through to retail. With this information, we can move forward with novel direct interventions for the control of Salmonella and Campylobacter on raw poultry between regulatory testing and retail.
