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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #352787
Research Project: Production and Processing Intervention Strategies for Poultry Associated Foodborne Pathogens

Location: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit

Title: Assessment of stabilized hydrogen peroxide as an antimicrobial agent for use in reducing campylobacter prevalence and levels on chicken broiler wings

Author
item BOURASSA, DIANNA - Auburn University
item Harris, Caitlin
item Bartenfeld Josselson, Lydia
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/27/2018
Publication Date: 4/26/2018
Citation: Bourassa, D.V., Harris, C.E., Bartenfeld, L.N., Buhr, R.J. 2018. Assessment of stabilized hydrogen peroxide as an antimicrobial agent for use in reducing campylobacter prevalence and levels on chicken broiler wings. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. 97(E-Suppl.1)224. p.94.

Interpretive Summary: none

Technical Abstract: The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service requires samples of raw broiler parts for performance standard verification for the detection of Campylobacter. Poultry processors must maintain process controls with Campylobacter prevalence levels below 7.7%. Establishments utilize antimicrobial processing aids on broiler parts to aid in achieving the standards. In this study, a stabilized hydrogen peroxide (SHP) product was assessed for use as an antimicrobial processing aid. In two trials, wing segments with skin (drummettes and flats) were inoculated with approximately 100,000-1,000,000 cells of a marker strain of Campylobacter coli and allowed 1-2 h to attach prior to treatment. In Trial 1, treatments were SHP at 15,000 ppm and water applied by either a 1 min dip (2 segments in 100 mL) or spray (2 segments hand sprayed with 50 mL). Following treatments, samples were either analyzed the same day for Campylobacter or after refrigeration for 24 h. In Trial 2, treatment groups were SHP at 15,000 or 30,000 ppm and water applied by either a 1 min dip or spray as in Trial 1 and samples were analyzed the same day. Rinsates from each part were analyzed for direct counts and prevalence of the marker Campylobacter. Count and prevalence data were statistically analyzed by GLM with means separated by Tukey’s HSD test or Fisher’s Exact test with main effects of antimicrobial, application method, and time in Trial 1 and antimicrobial and application method in Trial 2. In Trial 1 for both counts and prevalence, only the antimicrobial main effect of was significant with no interactions. Treating wing segments with SHP at 15,000 ppm significantly decreased the levels of Campylobacter (1.10 log10 CFU/mL) compared to the water (1.64 log10 CFU/mL). Prevalence was also significantly decreased from 77% (water) to 53% (SHP) positive. In Trial 2, both main effects of antimicrobial and application method were significant for counts with no interactions. Water had significantly higher Campylobacter counts than SHP at both 15,000 and 30,000 ppm (0.92 vs. 0.40 or 0.28 log10 CFU/mL, respectively). The dip application method had significantly lower Campylobacter counts than the spray application method (0.40 vs. 0.64 log10 CFU/mL). Campylobacter prevalence was significantly lower for wing segments treated with 30,000 ppm (70%) than wings treated with 15,000 ppm SHP (93%). These results indicate that while there was no carry-over effect of the SHP (same day vs. 24 h), SHP was able to significantly decrease levels of Campylobacter on broiler chicken wing segments compared to water and dipping parts was more effective than spraying. SHP should be further investigated as a potential antimicrobial processing aid for use on poultry parts.