Distribution and Molecular Characterization of Campylobacter Species at Different Processing Stages in Two Poultry Processing Plants.
The present study analyzed the prevalence and molecular characterization of Campylobacter at different processing steps in poultry slaughterhouses to determine where contamination mainly occurs. A total of 1,040 samples were collected at four different stages (preprocessing cloacal swabs, postevisceration, postwashing, and postchilling) in two processing plants. Campylobacter was detected in 5.8% (15 of 260) of the cloacal swabs and in 13.3% (104 of 780) of the processing samples. In both plants, the sampling points with the greatest contamination rates were after evisceration (20.5% and 15.4% for plants A and B, respectively) and significantly decreased after chilling (p < 0.05, from 20.5% to 10.9%) in plant A and after washing (from 15.4% to 2.9%) in plants B. In the result, however, the reduction in Campylobacter contamination was achieved through the sequential processing procedures in both plants. Campylobacter loads (>103colony-forming units [CFUs]/mL) also decreased from 41.7% at evisceration to 20.0% in final carcasses. The genetic relationships of isolates were analyzed by the automated repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) system, and the rep-PCR banding pattern was found to be unrelated to the processing plants, species, sampling point, or sampling day. As the gap in the intervention efficacy remains between plant A and B despite several consistencies, a national program for monitoring critical processing stages in poultry processing plants is recommended for the successful exportation of Korean-processed white mini broiler meat.
1 Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea.
Soo-Kyoung
SK
Lee
2 Korea Food and Drug Administration , Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea.
Hyun-Jung
HJ
Park
1 Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea.
Jin-Hee
JH
Lee
3 Center for One Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jong-Soo
JS
Lim
3 Center for One Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kun-Ho
KH
Seo
2 Korea Food and Drug Administration , Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea.
Eun-Jeong
EJ
Heo
2 Korea Food and Drug Administration , Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea.
Young-Jo
YJ
Kim
1 Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea.
Sung-Hwan
SH
Wee
1 Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea.
Jin-San
JS
Moon
D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002645:Chickens; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005525:Food-Processing Industry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011200:Poultry / Q000382:microbiology*
Campylobacter; contamination; genotyping; poultry processing; rep-PCR