Effect of Product Dimensions and Surface Browning Method on Salmonella Contamination in Frozen, Surface-Browned, Breaded Chicken Products Treated with Antimicrobials.
Not-ready-to-eat breaded chicken products formulated with antimicrobial ingredients were tested for the effect of sample dimensions, surface browning method and final internal sample temperature on inoculated Salmonella populations. Fresh chicken breast meat portions (5 × 5 × 5 cm), inoculated with Salmonella (7-strain mixture; 5 log CFU/g), were mixed with (5% v/w total moisture enhancement) (i) distilled water (control), (ii) caprylic acid (CAA; 0.0625%) and carvacrol (CAR; 0.075%), (iii) CAA (0.25%) and ε-polylysine (POL; 0.5%), (iv) CAR (0.15%) and POL (0.5%), or (v) CAA (0.0625%), CAR (0.075%) and POL (0.5%). Sodium chloride (1.2%) and sodium tripolyphosphate (0.3%) were added to all treatments. The mixtures were then ground and formed into 9 × 5 × 3 cm (150 g) or 9 × 2.5 × 2 cm (50 g) portions. The products were breaded, browned in (i) an oven (208 °C, 15 min) or (ii) deep fryer (190 °C, 15 s), packaged, and stored at -20 °C (8 d). Overall, maximum internal temperatures of 62.4 ± 4.0 °C (9 × 2.5 × 2 cm) and 46.0 ± 3.0 °C (9 × 5 × 3 cm) were reached in oven-browned samples, and 35.0 ± 1.1 °C (9 × 2.5 × 2 cm) and 31.7 ± 2.6 °C (9 × 5 × 3 cm) in fryer-browned samples. Irrespective of formulation treatment, total (after frozen storage) reductions of Salmonella were greater (P < 0.05) for 9 × 2.5 × 2 cm oven-browned samples (3.8 to at least 4.6 log CFU/g) than for 9 × 5 × 3 cm oven-browned samples (0.7 to 2.5 log CFU/g). Product dimensions did not (P ≥ 0.05) affect Salmonella reductions (0.6 to 2.8 log CFU/g) in fryer-browned samples. All antimicrobial treatments reduced Salmonella to undetectable levels (<0.3 log CFU/g) in oven-browned 9 × 2.5 × 2 cm samples. Overall, the data may be useful for the selection of antimicrobials, product dimensions, and surface browning methods for reducing Salmonella contamination.
Center for Meat Safety & Quality, Dept. of Animal Sciences, Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-1171, U.S.A.
Galatios
G
Moschonas
Center for Meat Safety & Quality, Dept. of Animal Sciences, Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-1171, U.S.A.
Ifigenia
I
Geornaras
Chobani Inc, 3450 Kimberly Rd E., Twin Falls, Idaho, 83301, U.S.A.|Purac America Inc, 111 Barclay Blvd Suite 100, Lincolnshire, Ill. 60069, U.S.A.
Jarret D
JD
Stopforth
Center for Meat Safety & Quality, Dept. of Animal Sciences, Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-1171, U.S.A.
Dale R
DR
Woerner
Center for Meat Safety & Quality, Dept. of Animal Sciences, Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-1171, U.S.A.
Keith E
KE
Belk
Center for Meat Safety & Quality, Dept. of Animal Sciences, Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-1171, U.S.A.
Gary C
GC
Smith
Center for Meat Safety & Quality, Dept. of Animal Sciences, Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-1171, U.S.A.|Purac America Inc, 111 Barclay Blvd Suite 100, Lincolnshire, Ill. 60069, U.S.A.
John N
JN
Sofos
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002645:Chickens; D003296:Cooking; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D011107:Polylysine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects*; D013696:Temperature
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D011107:Polylysine
Salmonella; antimicrobials; breaded chicken products; not-ready-to-eat; surface browning