Evaluation of TECRA broth, Bolton broth, and direct plating for recovery of Campylobacter spp, from broiler carcass rinsates from commercial processing plants.
The purpose of this study was to compare a conventional culture broth method (Bolton enrichment), a newly developed proprietary broth method (TECRA Campylobacter enrichment), and direct plating for recovery of Campylobacter spp. from chicken carcass rinsates. Whole carcass rinses were taken from 140 carcasses at rehang (immediately after defeathering but before evisceration) and from 140 carcasses at postchill from eight different processing plants in the United States. The rinsate samples were packed in ice and shipped overnight to the laboratory. Aliquots of the rinsate were transferred into Bolton and TECRA enrichment broths and were direct plated. Standard laboratory procedures with Campy-cefex plates were followed for recovery of Campylobacter spp. For rehang carcasses, 94% were positive for Campylobacter spp. with the TECRA enrichment broth and 74% were positive with the Bolton enrichment broth. For postchill carcasses, 74% were positive for Campylobacter spp. with the TECRA enrichment broth and 71% were positive with the Bolton enrichment broth. Compared with the Bolton enrichment broth, TECRA enrichment broth significantly suppressed non-Campylobacter microflora (P < 0.05). Overall, TECRA enrichment broth yielded an 11% higher total number of Campylobacter-positive samples compared with the Bolton enrichment broth. Campylobacter spp. detection in postchill samples was significantly greater (P < 0.05) by enrichment (84%) than by direct plating (19%). The high number of Campylobacter-positive samples obtained with all procedures indicated that 99% of the carcass rinsates obtained at rehang and 84% obtained at postchill contained Campylobacter spp.
Richardson
L J
LJ
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Poultry Microbiological Safety Research Unit, Russell Research Center, Athens, Georgia 30605, USA. jason.richardson@ars.usda.gov
Cox
N A
NA
Bailey
J S
JS
Berrang
M E
ME
Cox
J M
JM
Buhr
R J
RJ
Fedorka-Cray
P J
PJ
Harrison
M A
MA
D000818:Animals; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000379:methods*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005525:Food-Processing Industry; D006801:Humans
D003470:Culture Media