African Journal of Food Science Vol. 4 (2), pp. xxx-xxx, February,  2010

ISSN 1996-0794 © 2010 Academic Journals  

Full Length Research Paper

Existence of Listeria species in broiler carcasses with an attempt to control Listeria monocytogenes using trisodium phosphate   Ali M. Ahmed1* and Nashwa M. Abd El-Atti2   1Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt. 2Department of Food Hygiene, Animal Health Research Institute, Ismailia Laboratory, Egypt.   *Corresponding author. E-mail: meawad@maktoob.com.   Accepted 5 January, 2010

Abstract

The existence and control of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes on broiler’s ceca, meat and skin at the retail level of Ismailia city, Egypt were studied. Dipping chicken filets in solution of (wt/vol) 0, 5, 10 or 15% Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) for 0, 3, 7 or 10 min were applied to chicken samples inoculated with L. monocytogenes. The results of this study revealed that 92, 42 and 70% of broiler's ceca, meat and skin were contaminated with L. spp. respectively. From the L. spp. positive samples, L. monocytogenes were the highest from ceca (60%, 30 of 50 samples), followed by skin (34%, 17 of 50), and meat (16%, 8 of 50). Dipping chicken filets into 0, 5, 10 or 15% TSP solution significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the counts of L. monocytogenes in treated samples as compared to the control. Dipping in 10 or 15% TSP for 10 min were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) L. monocytogenes counts to <100 cfu/g. The obtained results concluded that dipping in 10% TSP for 10 min appears to be an effective treatment for reducing populations of L. monocytogenes on broiler filets to a standard safe limit.

Key words: L. monocytogenes, trisodium phosphate, broiler, meat, filets.