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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #386986
Research Project: Immunological and Practical Approaches to Manipulate the Ecological Niches and Reduce Foodborne Pathogens in Poultry

Location: Food and Feed Safety Research

Title: Evaluation of sodium bisulfate on reducing Salmonella Heidelberg biofilm and colonization in broiler crops and ceca

Author
item PINEDA, MEGAN - Texas A&M University
item Byrd Ii, James - Allen
item Genovese, Kenneth - Ken
item FARNELL, YUHUA - Texas A&M University
item ZHAO, DAN - Texas A&M University
item WANG, XI - Texas A&M University
item MILBY, ALLISON - Texas A&M University
item FARNELL, MORGAN - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Microorganisms
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/23/2021
Publication Date: 9/28/2021
Citation: Pineda, M., Byrd II, J.A., Genovese, K.J., Farnell, Y.Z., Zhao, D., Wang, X., Milby, A., Farnell, M.B. 2021. Evaluation of sodium bisulfate on reducing Salmonella Heidelberg biofilm and colonization in broiler crops and ceca. Microorganisms. 9(10). Article 2047. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9102047.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9102047

Interpretive Summary: Salmonella Heidelberg (SH) is a bacterium that has been found in poultry and which can cause economic and health risks to producers and consumers. One product, sodium bisulfate, that is commonly used in aquariums and swimming pools to reduce bacteria and control pH, has been proposed to reduce or prevent the spread of Salmonella from chicken to chicken. In this work, chickens were given tap water, or tap water with sodium bisulfate, and several chickens were given Salmonella to mimic a natural infection environment and spread of Salmonella. Birds that were exposed to Salmonella and given sodium bisulfate in the drinking water had lower Salmonella numbers in their gastrointestinal tract than birds given tap water. The results suggest that sodium bisulfate given in the drinking water can reduce Salmonella in the birds and thus contribute to the microbial safety of poultry products reaching the consumer.

Technical Abstract: Salmonella Heidelberg (SH) on contaminated poultry causes economic and health risks to producers and consumers, We hypothesized that sodium bisulfate (SBS) would decrease SH biofilm on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coupons and decrease horizontal transfer of SH in broilers. Experiment 1: Salmonella Heidelberg biofilm was cultured with PVC coupons which were treated with SBS at a pH of 3.5 for 10 min, 8 h, and 24 h. Experiment 2: Nine replicate pens per treatment were divided between two rooms. A seeder contact model was used to mimic a natural infection environment. Treatments consisted of tap water or sodium bisulfate in water at a pH of 3.5, Salmonella Heidelberg incidence and enumeration were measured in crops and ceca. Sodium bisulfate significantly reduced biofilm by 2.16 and 1.04 logs when treated for 8 and 24 h, respectively. Crop colonization was significantly decreased in trials 1 and 2 by 0.29 and 0.23 logs, respectively. Crop pH was significantly decreased in trial 2. Ceca colonization was significantly decreased in trial 1 by 0.39 logs. The results from the present study suggest that SBS may be administered to drinking water to decrease SH gut colonization and as a disinfectant to reduce biofilm.