Intervention Strategies to Reduce Foodborne Pathogens in Poultry During Grow-out and Processing

Abstract

Several foodborne pathogens like Salmonella spp., Campylobacter jejuni and Clostridium perfringens can occasionally be traced to poultry sources. The development of intervention strategies that are applicable to different stages of poultry production can help lessen the level of these pathogens in poultry by-products and hence, reduce the incidence of poultry-borne food poisoning. In the present study, the efficacy of Poultry Litter Treatment® in reducing Clostridium perfringens counts in poultry litter was investigated. The effect of windrow-composting in reducing microbial load in poultry litter was also studied. In addition, a study of bacterial profiles in a poultry processing line was conducted. Finally, the efficacies of two online reprocessing antimicrobials in reducing bacterial pathogen load were compared.