Author
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Arnold, Judy |
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Silvers, Sandra |
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Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/9/2000 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: During processing of poultry meat products, broiler carcasses come in contact with many solid surfaces. Bacteria from carcasses can attach to wet equipment surfaces and provide a source of contamination for other carcasses. Samples of surface materials were tested for bacterial attachment using bacteria taken from broiler carcasses. Whole carcasses were rinsed with saline (100 mL), and the rinse was diluted in nutrient broth. Wavelength scans were made by spectrophotometry of rinse suspensions containing test surfaces and compared with controls without test surfaces. Absorbance (412 nm) of suspensions at varying dilutions containing test surfaces was compared hourly with controls. Results show that surfaces vary in affinity for bacterial attachment and biofilm formation. Analysis by spectrophotometry and scanning electron microscopy confirmed that attachment to stainless steel, polyethylene link, and conveyor belt webbing was not significantly different from controls. Attachment to rubber picker fingers was significantly less than attachment to stainless steel and the other surfaces. As bacteria accumulated on the test surfaces, they exhibited the typical properties of biofilms during formation. An increasingly complex matrix of fibrils connected the outer surfaces of individual cells, and many bacteria aligned in side-to-side arrangements. An increased understanding of bacterial attachment and biofilm formation will assist in the development of interventions to counteract these processes and thereby enhance plant sanitation and pathogen control. Technical Abstract: During processing of poultry products, broiler carcasses come in contact with many solid surfaces. Bacteria from the carcasses can attach to wet equipment surfaces, form biofilms, and provide a source of cross-contamination for subsequent carcasses. An array of equipment surface materials was exposed to the mixed population of bacteria from carcass rinses, and bacterial attachment to the surface materials was tested.Whole carcasses were rinsed with phosphate-buffered saline (100 mL), and the rinse was diluted in nutrient broth. Wavelength scans (350 nm - 750 nm) were made of the rinse suspensions containing test surfaces and compared with controls without test surfaces. Absorbance (412 nm) suspensions at varying dilutions containing test surfaces was compared hourly with controls. Results showed that surfaces vary in affinity for bacterial attachment and biofilm formation. Spectrophotometry and scanning electron microscopy confirmed that attachment to stainless steel, polyethylene link, and conveyor belt webbing was not significantly different from controls. Attachment to rubber picker fingers was significantly less than attachment to stainless steel and the other surfaces. The kinetics of attachment of bacteria was followed as biofilms developed on the test surfaces. As bacteria accumulated on the surfaces, they exhibited typical phenotypic properties of biofilm formation. An increasingly complex extracellular matrix of fibrils connected cells, and many bacteria aligned side to side. An increased understanding of bacterial attachment and biofilm formation will assist in the development of interventions to counteract these processes, and thereby enhance plant sanitation practices and pathogen control. |
