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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Microbial and Chemical Food Safety » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #320702
Title: Thermal inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium on dressed chicken skin previously exposed to acidified sodium chlorite or carvacrol

Author
item YADAV, AJIT - Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
item SAXENA, GAURAV - Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
item SAXENA, V. - Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
item KATARIA, J. - Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
item Juneja, Vijay

Submitted to: Food Control
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/11/2015
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Food poisoning outbreaks due to Salmonella have been associated with inadequate cooking of contaminated chicken in retail food service operations. Thus, there has been a need to better define the heat treatment given to chicken to provide an adequate degree of protection against survival of this pathogen. We developed a mathematical model for predicting the destruction of Salmonella on chicken skin. The model can be used to predict the time required at any temperature to kill a specific number of this deadly bacterium on chicken skin. The results will be of immediate use to consumers and to the retail food service operations and regulatory agencies to ensure the safety of the cooked chicken.

Technical Abstract: Salmonella is a leading cause of foodborne illness, and live poultry is a main reservoir of this pathogen. Cross-contamination and transportation of contaminated poultry meat act as an important vehicle of Salmonella infections in humans. In this study, we assessed the effect of two antimicrobials: acidified sodium chlorite (ASC; 100 to 300 ppm) and carvacrol (0.02 to 0.06%) followed by thermal treatment to inactivate Salmonella Typhimurium on dressed chicken skin. D-values (time in min for the pathogen to decrease by 90%) of Salmonella Typhimurium at 56, 60 and 64 deg C on chicken skin with no prior dipping in antimicrobials, determined by linear regression, were 6.17, 3.16, 1.32 min, respectively. Two D-values calculated using a logistic model, ranged from 6.28 (D1, major population, plus TL) and 11.66 (D2, heat-resistant subpopulation, plus TL) min at 56 deg C to 1.08 (D1 plus TL), and 2.07 (D2 plus TL) min at 64 deg C. Pre-dipping in 100 – 300 ppm ASC or 0.02-0.06% carvacrol rendered the pathogen more sensitive to the lethal effect of heat. Thus, combination of ASC or carvacrol with heat was more effective in reducing heat resistance of the pathogen on dressed chicken surface. The model developed will assist poultry processors in estimating the time and temperature required for specific log reductions of Salmonella Typhimurium on chicken skin and thus, will contribute in designing acceptance limits at critical control points for cooking chicken.