Location: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit
Project Number: 6040-32000-085-004-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2023
End Date: Aug 31, 2028
Objective:
1. Evaluate risk factors that enhance survival of Salmonella and Campylobacter across the poultry processing chain and develop targeted solutions.
2. Develop poultry slaughter and processing control strategies to reduce the quantifiable loads of Salmonella and Campylobacter.
Approach:
Microbiome analysis will be conducted using 16S rRNA to define microbial communities among multiple points within the poultry production and processing system ranging from both live animal environments as well as the poultry processing plant. Environmental samples will be obtained from growout, transport, raw product, and cooked product points including both food contact and non-food contact surfaces. DNA will be isolated from these samples, the 16S rRNA aplicons are amplified by PCR and then sequenced using Next Generation Sequencing approaches. Data from these studies will help identify the microbial population associated with each sample. The population data, which will include all microbials including pathogens, will help to develop necessary intervention strategies throughout the poultry production and processing system. Efficacy of antimicrobial interventions as well as combinations antimicrobial interventions will be determined at multiple stages of broiler processing. Broilers either naturally colonized or inoculated with Salmonella and/or Campylobacter will be processed at the Fortenberry Processing Plant using antimicrobial interventions and combinations of interventions. Pathogen reductions will be determined through both traditional plating methods and molecular methods.
