Inactivation of Campylobacter jejuni in moisture enhanced non-intact chicken patties by double pan-broiling as affected by cooking set-up temperature and pump rate

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the thermal inactivation of Campylobacter jejuni in moisture enhanced reconstructed non-intact chicken patties with various pump rates and double pan-broiled at different temperatures. Fresh 1.5-kg coarse-ground chicken breast, inoculated with C. jejuni (3-strain mixture), were moisture enhanced with NaCl (2.0%) + Na-tripolyphosphate (0.5%) solutions to reach 1.0%, 5.0% or 11.0% pump rates. Inoculated samples were then manufactured into patties (2.1 cm thick and 10.4 cm diameter) followed by aerobic storage at 40.1 °F for 42.0 h before double pan-broiling for 0.0–360.0 s with temperatures set at 200.0, 300.0, 400.0 or 425.0 °F. C. jejuni counts were analyzed on Brucella agars under microaerophilic condition. Cooking reduced (P < 0.05) C. jejuni cells from 5.3 to 5.8 log CFU/g to <0.3 log CFU/g after 330.0–360.0 (200.0 °F), 210.0 (300.0 °F), 180.0–210.0 (400.0 °F), and 150.0–165.0 s (425.0 °F) in all chicken samples. D-values (Weibull-model) of samples with 1.0% pump rate (118.2 and 112.0 s) were lower (P < 0.05) than 11.0% samples (139.5 and 124.0 s) when cooked at 400.0 and 425.0 °F, respectively. These findings will be useful for USDA-FSIS to develop risk assessments of Campylobacter in moisture enhanced non-intact chicken products.