Prevalence of Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria on retail organic and kosher poultry products

Authors: Nou, Xiangwu; Delgado, Jessica; Patel, Jitu; Sharma, Manan; Solomon, Morse

Submitted to: International Association for Food Protection
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2007
Publication Date: 7/9/2007
Citation: Nou, X., Delgado, J., Patel, J.R., Sharma, M., Solomon, M.B. 2007. Prevalence of Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria on retail organic and kosher poultry products [abstract]. International Association for Food Protection Program and Abstract Book. p. 157.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Introduction: Organic and kosher poultry are raised and processed using specific guidelines in specialized facilities. Compared to conventionally processed poultry, consumers often perceive these alternatively processed products safer and of higher quality. Purpose: The incidence of three bacterial foodborne pathogens on alternatively processed poultry was determined. Methods: A total of 353 whole or cut, raw poultry samples (104 conventional, 108 kosher, 41 kosher-organic, and 100 organic) from retail stores in Maryland and Virginia were tested for the presence of Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria over an 8-month period. The pathogens were isolated following selective enrichment. Antibiotic susceptibility of Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates was determined using agar plate disc diffusion and E-Test procedures. Results: Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria were isolated from 28, 49, and 45 percent of poultry samples, respectively. Salmonella was most frequently isolated from organic poultry samples (40 percent), as were Campylobacter from conventional (69 percent) and Listeria from kosher (67 percent) poultry. Serovar Kentucky was the most prevalent Salmonella serotype among isolates from kosher and organic poultry, while serovars Typhimurium, Enteriditis, and Kentucky were most frequently isolated from conventional poultry. Salmonella isolates from organic poultry were more susceptible to the antibiotics tested than those from other sources. While approximately 60 percent of Salmonella isolates from all type of poultry samples were resistant to at least one antibiotic, resistance to at least 6 antibiotics was displayed by 8 percent and 26 percent of isolates from organic and non-organic products, respectively. Campylobacter isolated from organic poultry was less resistant to ciprofloxacin than those from other samples (10 percent vs 18 percent) but a higher percentage of those isolates displayed resistance to tetracycline (73 percent vs 47 percent). Significance: The high incidence of Salmonella and Listeria contamination associated with alternatively processed poultry samples indicates the need for continued improvements of rearing and processing technologies to further reduce bacterial contamination of those products.