This study aims to evaluate the microbiological quality and efficacy of antimicrobials to inactivate unstressed or cold-stress adapted Salmonella and Enterococcus on broiler carcasses and wings processed at a small USDA-inspected slaughter facility in West Virginia. The first part of the study included 42 carcasses that were pre- and secondarily-enriched in bacterial media followed by streak-plating onto XLT-4 and HardyCHROM™-agar Salmonella and confirmation using an API20E-kit. The aerobic plate counts (APC), Escherichia coli (ECC), total coliforms (TCC), and yeast/molds were analyzed on petri-films. The second part of the study included fresh broiler carcasses and wings that were inoculated with unstressed and cold-stress-adapted (4 °C, 7-day) Salmonella Typhimurium and Tennessee, and Enterococcus faecium ATCC 8459 (5.5 to 6.0 log10CFU/mL) and later dipped into peroxyacetic acid (PAA; 1,000 ppm), lactic acid (LA; 5%), lactic and citric acid blend (LCA; 2.5%), and sodium hypochlorite (SH; 70 ppm) for 30 s without (carcasses) or with 2-min drainage (wings). The surviving bacteria were recovered onto non-selective and selective agar to analyze the total microbial population, Salmonella and Enterococcus. APC, TCC, and Yeast/Molds were 2.62, 1.08, and 2.37 log10CFU/mL on broiler carcasses, respectively. A total of 30 and 40% of the carcasses tested positive for Salmonella spp. and E. coli (0.48 to 1.70 log10CFU/mL), respectively. For carcasses, antimicrobial reductions of cold-stress-adapted cells of Salmonella and Enterococcus were greater (P < 0.05) than the unstressed cells. For wings, cold-stress-adapted Salmonella were more (P < 0.05) sensitive to antimicrobials than unstressed cells; however, unstressed and cold-stress-adapted Enterococcus behaved similarly (P > 0.05). The reduction of Salmonella and Enterococcus on carcasses and wings increased in the order of SH ≤ LCA < LA < PAA and irrespective of unstressed or cold-stress-adapted cells. Applying post-chilling antimicrobial dipping treatments could be an intervention approach to control Salmonella on locally processed broilers. In addition, Enterococcus faecium could be a Salmonella surrogate for in-plant validation studies.

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The small-scale mobile poultry-processing unit (MPPU) produced raw poultry products are of particular food safety concern due to exemption of USDA poultry products inspection act. Limited studies reported the microbial quality and safety of MPPU-processed poultry carcasses. This study evaluated the Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalence in broiler ceca and on MPPU-processed carcasses and efficacy of commercial antimicrobials against Campylobacter jejuni on broilers. In study I, straight-run Hubbard × Cobb broilers (147) were reared for 38 days on clean-shavings (CS, 75) or built-up-litter (BUL, 72) and processed at an MPPU. Aerobic plate counts (APCs), coliforms, Escherichia coli, and yeast/molds (Y/M) of carcasses were analyzed on petrifilms. Ceca and carcass samples underwent microbial analyses for Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. using the modified USDA method and confirmed by API-20e test (Salmonella), latex agglutination immunoassay (Campylobacter), and Gram staining (Campylobacter). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (CadF gene) identified the prevalence of C. jejuni and Campylobacter coli in ceca and on carcasses. In study II, fresh chilled broiler carcasses were spot inoculated with C. jejuni (4.5 log10 CFU/mL) and then undipped, or dipped into peroxyacetic acid (PAA) (1,000 ppm), lactic acid (5%), lactic and citric acid blend (2.5%), sodium hypochlorite (69 ppm), or a H2O2–PAA mix (SaniDate® 5.0, 0.25%) for 30 s. Surviving C. jejuni was recovered onto Brucella agar. APCs, coliforms, and E. coli populations were similar (P > 0.05) on CS and BUL carcasses. Carcasses of broilers raised on BUL contained a greater (P < 0.05) Y/M population (2.2 log10 CFU/mL) than those reared on CS (1.8 log10 CFU/mL). Salmonella was not detected in any ceca samples, whereas 2.8% of the carcasses from BUL were present with Salmonella. Prevalence of Campylobacter spp., C. jejuni was lower (P < 0.05), and C. coli was similar (P > 0.05) in CS-treated ceca than BUL samples. Prevalence of Campylobacter spp., C. jejuni, and C. coli was not different (P > 0.05) on CS- and BUL-treated carcasses. All antimicrobials reduced C. jejuni by 1.2–2.0 log CFU/mL on carcasses compared with controls. Hence, raising broilers on CS and applying post-chilling antimicrobial treatment can reduce Salmonella and Campylobacter on MPPU-processed broiler carcasses.

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