Pectin or chitosan coating fortified with eugenol reduces Campylobacter jejuni on chicken wingettes and modulates expression of critical survival genes

Authors: WAGLE, BASANTA - University Of Arkansas; UPADHYAY, ABHINAV - University Of Arkansas; SHRESTHA, SANDIP - University Of Arkansas; ARSI, KOMALA - University Of Arkansas; UPADHYAYA, INDU - University Of Arkansas; Donoghue, Ann - Annie; DONOGHUE, DAN - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/12/2018
Publication Date: 3/1/2019
Citation: Wagle, B.R., Upadhyay, A., Shrestha, S., Arsi, K., Upadhyaya, I., Donoghue, A.M., Donoghue, D.J. 2019. Pectin or chitosan coating fortified with eugenol reduces Campylobacter jejuni on chicken wingettes and modulates expression of critical survival genes. Poultry Science. 98:1461-1471. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pey505.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pey505

Interpretive Summary: Campylobacter jejuni related diarrheal illnesses in humans is strongly associated with the consumption of contaminated poultry meat. With increasing consumer demand for minimally processed and natural product, there is a need for novel, safe and effective intervention strategies for controlling C. jejuni. Antimicrobial coatings are increasingly being used for preventing food contamination due to their efficacy and continuous protection against pathogens. This study investigated the efficacy of pectin and chitosan coating fortified with eugenol to reduce C. jejuni on chicken wingettes. Pectin, chitosan and eugenol are GRAS compounds derived from berries, crustaceans and cloves respectively. Each wingette was inoculated with a mixture of four wild-type strains of C. jejuni and randomly assigned to controls, eugenol (0.5, 1 or 2%), pectin (3%), chitosan (2%) or their combinations. Following 1 min of coating, wingettes were air-dried (1 h), vacuum sealed and sampled on d 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 of refrigerated storage for C. jejuni and aerobic counts (n=5 wingettes/treatment/day). In addition, the effect of treatments on the color of wingettes and expression of C. jejuni survival and virulence genes was evaluated. All three doses of eugenol or chitosan significantly reduced C. jejuni and aerobic bacteria from d 0 through d 7. The incorporation of 0.5, 1 or 2% eugenol in pectin improved antimicrobial efficacy against C. jejuni whereas the efficacy of chitosan coating was improved by 2% eugenol treatment. Chitosan coating with 2% eugenol also showed greater reductions of total aerobic counts as compared to individual treatments of eugenol and chitosan. No significant difference in the color of chicken wingettes was observed between treatments. Exposure of C. jejuni to eugenol, chitosan or combination significantly modulated select genes encoding for motility, quorum sensing and stress response. Results demonstrate the potential of pectin or chitosan coating fortified with eugenol as a postharvest intervention against C. jejuni contamination on poultry products.

Technical Abstract: Campylobacter jejuni infection in humans is strongly associated with the consumption of contaminated poultry products. With increasing consumer demand for minimally processed and natural product, there is a need for novel, safe and effective intervention strategies for controlling C. jejuni. Antimicrobial coatings are increasingly being used for preventing food contamination due to their efficacy and continuous protection against pathogens. This study investigated the efficacy of pectin and chitosan coating fortified with eugenol to reduce C. jejuni on chicken wingettes. Pectin, chitosan and eugenol are GRAS compounds derived from berries, crustaceans and cloves respectively. Each wingette was inoculated with a mixture of four wild-type strains of C. jejuni (~107 CFU/sample) and randomly assigned to controls, eugenol (0.5, 1 or 2%), pectin (3%), chitosan (2%) or their combinations. Following 1 min of coating, wingettes were air-dried (1 h), vacuum sealed and sampled on d 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 of refrigerated storage for C. jejuni and aerobic counts (n=5 wingettes/treatment/day). In addition, the effect of treatments on the color of wingettes and expression of C. jejuni survival and virulence genes was evaluated. Data were analyzed by the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS. All three doses of eugenol or chitosan significantly reduced C. jejuni and aerobic bacteria from d 0 through d 7 by at least 0.6 Log CFU/sample. The incorporation of 0.5, 1 or 2% eugenol in pectin improved antimicrobial efficacy against C. jejuni whereas the efficacy of chitosan coating was improved by 2% eugenol treatment (P<0.05). Chitosan coating with 2% eugenol also showed greater reductions of total aerobic counts as compared to individual treatments of eugenol and chitosan. No significant difference in the color of chicken wingettes was observed between treatments. Exposure of C. jejuni to eugenol, chitosan or combination significantly modulated select genes encoding for motility, quorum sensing and stress response. Results demonstrate the potential of pectin or chitosan coating fortified with eugenol as a postharvest intervention against C. jejuni contamination on poultry products.