The effect of dazomet on salmonellas on artificially contaminated eggs.

Abstract

Salmonellas were isolated from the surface of only 1 of 21 artificially contaminated eggs after they had been treated with dazomet. By comparison salmonellas were isolated from the surface of 13 of the 21 untreated eggs. Penetration by the salmonellas through the shells to the shell membranes resulted from the immersion of warm eggs in a cold suspension of salmonella cells. While the dazomet treatment reduced the incidence of salmonellas within the shells and shell membranes, elimination of salmonellas from all eggs was not achieved. However, the numbers of surviving salmonellas on the eggs were small; a count of 4 per shell being recorded compared to greater than 110,000 per shell of the untreated eggs. The failure to achieve complete elimination of salmonellas within the shell and membranes appeared to be due to inadequate penetration of the fumigant to these structures.