Abstract
It is critical to maintain low levels of microbes in the whole food production chain. Due to high speed of slaughter, lack of time, and structural characteristics of crates, sufficient cleaning and disinfection of crates used for transporting chickens to abattoirs is a challenge. Inadequately cleaned transport crates for broiler chickens caused a major outbreak of campylobacteriosis in Sweden in 2016–2017, when the contaminated crates introduced Campylobacter to the chickens during thinning. This study evaluated the antibacterial efficacy of 265-nm ultraviolet (UV–C) LED light on artificially contaminated chicken transport crates. In a laboratory study, a transport crate artificially contaminated with Campylobacter and cecum contents was irradiated with 265-nm UV-C light by a continuous LED array in a treatment cabinet. The transport crate was sampled 52 times by cotton swabs before and after UV-C treatment for 1 min (20.4 mJ/cm2) and 3 min (61.2 mJ/cm2). The swab samples were analysed for Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni), bacteria belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, and total aerobic bacteria. After irradiation with UV-C LED light for 1 min, a mean reduction in C. jejuni of log 2.0 ± 0.5 CFU/mL was observed, while after irradiation for 3 min the reduction was log 3.1 ± 1.0 CFU/mL. The mean reduction in Enterobacteriaceae was log 1.5 ± 0.3 CFU/mL after 1 min of irradiation and log 1.8 ± 0.8 CFU/mL after 3 min. The mean reduction in total aerobic bacteria was log 1.4 ± 0.4 CFU/mL after 1 min of irradiation and log 1.6 ± 0.5 CFU/mL after 3 min. Significant reductions in bacterial load were observed in all samples after UV-C treatment and extending the treatment time from 1 to 3 min significantly increased the reduction in C. jejuni. However, before implementation of UV-C LED treatment in commercial chicken abattoirs, the irradiation unit would need to be extended and/or the washing procedure before UV-C treatment, to reduce the amount of organic matter on transport crates, would need to be improved.
Highlights
Campylobacteriosis is the most commonly reported bacterial gastrointestinal disease in humans in the United States, Australia, Sweden, and other European countries
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether 265-nm ultraviolet light (UV)-C light-emitting diodes (LEDs) light can be used to reduce Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni), Enterobacteriaceae, and total aerobic bacteria on transport crates for chickens
In the treatment where the transport crates were irradiated with UV-C light for 3 min, the mean reduction in C. jejuni was log 3.1 ± 1.0 CFU/mL
Summary
Campylobacteriosis is the most commonly reported bacterial gastrointestinal disease in humans in the United States, Australia, Sweden, and other European countries. Proper cleaning and disinfection is essential during the process, to reduce the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria on production animals, on food products, and on surfaces. This is of great importance, since cleaning and disinfection shortcomings have been shown to cause food poisoning. Studies show that pathogenic bacteria such as Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. can remain on chicken transport crates even after cleaning and disinfection (Atterbury, Gigante, Tinker, Howell, & Allen, 2020; Hansson, Ederoth, Andersson, Vågsholm, & Engvall, 2005; Northcutt & Berrang, 2006; Peyrat, Soumet, Maris, & Sanders, 2008; Slader et al, 2002).
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