Evaluation of Microbiological Sampling Methods on Poultry Carcasses and a Study of Bacterial Contamination in Broiler Carcasses

Abstract

Three sampling methods (skin-surface swabbing, excised-skin sampling, and whole-carcass rinsing) were compared for bacteria recovery from poultry carcasses. In an experiment with 20 layer carcasses, total viable counts obtained by skin sampling were significantly higher than those obtained by swabbing. Campylobacter was detected on 8 rinsed and 4 excised samples and on 1 swabbed sample. These results suggest that the whole-carcass rinse method is superior to the other methods. In addition, bacterial contamination of carcasses was analyzed between the evisceration stage and rinse-method drip at a broiler-processing plant. Indicator organisms and positive reaction for Campylobacter and Salmonella were significantly lower after rinsing. Nonetheless, Campylobacter was isolated from 6.7% and Salmonella from 56% of 45 cases