title: Recovery of salmonellae following pH adjusted pre-enrichment of broiler carcasses treated with trisodium phosphate.
abstract: Trisodium phosphate (TSP) has been reported to decrease the recovery of salmonellae from processed poultry carcasses. It has been suggested that the high pH and detergent-like properties of TSP solutions are responsible for the reduction in salmonellae recovery. This project was conducted to determine if controlling pH during salmonellae pre-enrichment alters the effect of TSP on salmonellae recovery. Carcasses were obtained from a commercial processing plant immediately after the final inside-outside carcass washer, prior to any other antimicrobial treatments, and before chilling. Carcasses were assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups: (1) TSP and alkaline pre-enrichment, (2) TSP and neutral pre-enrichment, (3) non-TSP and alkaline pre-enrichment, 4) non-TSP and neutral pre-enrichment. Carcasses were placed into plastic bags with 500 mL of buffered peptone water (with or without pH adjustment) and shaken for 1 min. Preincubation pH of the rinsate was measured. Carcasses were incubated in the rinse at 37 degrees C for 24 h, and incidence of salmonellae was determined. The pH of the preincubation rinsate was 8.4 for the TSP alkaline pre-enrichment, 7.2 for the TSP neutral pre-enrichment, 8.6 for the non-TSP alkaline pre-enrichment, and 7.1 for the non-TSP neutral pre-enrichment. Salmonellae were detected from 40% of the TSP alkaline pre-enrichment carcasses, 44% of the TSP neutral pre-enrichment carcasses, 54% of the non-TSP alkaline pre-enrichment carcasses, and 38% of the non-TSP neutral pre-enrichment carcasses. Neither TSP treatment nor pre-enrichment pH adjustment significantly influenced carcass salmonellae detection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Bourassa
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Buhr
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cason
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Berrang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008460:Meat; D010710:Phosphates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; C018279:sodium phosphate