Efficacy of Antimicrobials Against Campylobacter jejuni on Chicken Breast Skin

Abstract

Raw chicken is a significant source of the bacterial pathogen Campylobacter. The commercial processing of poultry for consumption presents many opportunities in which carcasses and other raw products can become newly contaminated or cross-contaminated with this microorganism. Increased use of chlorine and higher volumes of water during processing may not be effective for reducing Campylobacter populations. This study examined the efficacy of 10% trisodium phosphate (TSP), 0.1% acidified sodium chlorite (ASC), 0.1 and 0.5% cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), 1% Tween 80, and water (50°C at application) for their ability to inactivate, reverse the attachment of, or inhibit the attachment of Campylobacter jejuni applied to chicken breast skin. Statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences in the reduction of C. jejuni populations were observed across chemical treatments and contact times (30 s, 3 min, or 10 min). When bacteria were applied before treatment, a reduction of >1.0 log10 cfu/skin was achieved with 0.5% CPC (2.89), 10% TSP (1.63), 0.1% ASC (1.52), and 0.1% CPC (1.42). When bacteria were applied after chemical treatment, a reduction of >1.0 log10 cfu/skin was achieved with 0.5% CPC (4.67) and 10% TSP (1.28). The commercial use of an effective antimicrobial chemical spray may help to reduce the level of Campylobacter on raw poultry carcasses and reduce the volume of rinse water applied for carcass washing.