S1027: The Poultry Food System: A Farm to Table Model

(Multistate Research Project)

Status: Inactive/Terminating

Project Menu

SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[12/14/2006] [01/28/2008] [04/06/2009] [01/28/2010]

Date of Annual Report: 12/14/2006

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/09/2006 - 09/09/2006
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2005 - 09/01/2006

Participants

Owens, Casey (cmowens@uark.edu) Arkansas; Bilgili, Sarge (sbilgili@auburn.edu) Auburn; Conner, Don (dconner@auburn.edu)Auburn; Curtis, Patricia (Pat_Curtis@auburn.edu) Auburn; Moran, Jr., Ed (emoran@acesag.auburn.edu) Auburn; Zeidler, Gideon (Gideon.zeidler@ucr.edu) California; Acton, James (jcacton@clemson.edu) Clemson; Dawson, Paul (pdawson@clemson.edu) Clemson;
Regenstein, Joe (jmr9@cornell.edu) Cornell; Williams, Sally (williams@animal.ufl.edu) Florida; Russell, Scott (srussell@uga.edu) Georgia; Ahn, Dong (duahn@iastate.edu) Iowa State; Keener, Kevin (kkeener@purdue.edu) Indiana; Sheldon, Brian (brian_sheldon@ncsu.edu) North Carolina State; Anderson, Ken (ken_anderson@ncsu.edu) North Carolina State; Sanchez, Marcos (msanchez@poultry.tamu.edu) Texas A&M; Alvarado, Christine (christine.alvarado@ttu.edu) Texas (Texas Tech); Richards, Mark (mprichards@ansci.wisc.edu) Wisconsin; Buhr, Jeff (Jeff.Buhr@ars.usda.gov) USDA/ARS; Cason, John (John.Cason@ars.usda.gov) USDA/ARS; Cox, Nelson (Nelson.Cox@ars.usda.gov) USDA/ARS; Deana, Jones (Deana.Jones@ars.usda.gov) USDA/ARS; Musgrove, Mike (Mike.Musgrove@ars.usda.gov) USDA/ARS; Smith, Doug (Doug.Smith@ars.usda.gov) USDA/ARS; Latorre, Jose (jlatorre@uprm.edu) Puerto Rico

Brief Summary of Minutes

Meeting location: Verona, Italy

Business topics:
1. Chair indicated that the project re-write was approved for 5 years. Report written and presented by Susan Barefoot.
2. Annual Station Reports to be submitted on the first week of September from each participant.
3. Sub-objective leaders will assemble groups report based on the accomplishments for each representative, and group summaries
A final report will be sent to everybody after assembly.

Question: Don Conner asked about how to use this information to present it to Experiment Stations at each university. Several recommendations were discussed, including the linking to the project website. It was brought to the attention of the chair that there are problems with the Website connection from the NIMSS site to the projects link, and that the website needs to be updated. The website will need to include the new re-write of the project, and the new proposal should be uploaded. The website coordinator (Casey Owens) will update the site.

Question: Jeff Buhr asked if there will be a problem with publishing station reports on a website. Pat Curtis suggested to post publication lists rather than reports, and to convert all reports into protected PDF files. Sarge Bilgili, suggested using Abstracts submitted to scientific meetings considering that they are not copyrighted, at least from PSA meetings. Maybe use the link to the Abstract on PSA. This will be part of the extension component of the project. Participants were interested in publishing these Abstracts on our site.

Scheduling future meetings for the group: Project meeting will be held at Clemson University, sometime in October, 2007 Jim Acton will make arrangements.

Scheduling a meeting for the Poultry Show (USP&EA) in Atlanta meeting will be held on Thursday, January 25, from 9:00am to 10:00am.

Scheduling a meeting at the 2007 Poultry Science Meeting in San Antonio. It was recommended to be scheduled on the same day there is a session for the processing and products section.

It was brought to everybody's attention that this meeting will be held coincidentally with the IAFP meeting in 2007 and may create conflicts with some members that will try to attend both events.

Some members volunteered to check copyrights from all different scientific groups: PSA, IAFP, IFT to find out about free use of Abstracts and the potential to be linked to the research group's website.

Question
Ed Moran asked about the estimated number of hits on the project's website.
Pat Curtis replied that the actual number of hits was unknown at the moment and added that these may not be significant considering that it is not linked to the NIMSS system where it should be. Suggestion was made about linking the website to PSA, and all members' websites. Bilgili suggested sending a news announcement to PSA and USP&EA to announce the release of the project's new updated website.

Question: Ed Moran asked about the actual number of members in the research group. It was indicated that there are 36 members listed in the project. It was suggested to work in individual groups to find out if there is a need to recruit other members in areas considered to be critical for the project but that are not being fulfilled by current members. It was suggested that the group was rather large, and that the list should be updated to consider the elimination of members that are not involved, or are not actively involved. Curtis added that the research project is supposed to have one member per experimental station. Curtis also suggested that some members just submitted reports, but were never collaborating with other group members, nor involved in meetings. Dan Conner suggested that to remain involved, members need to be present at a meeting at least once every three years. Owens asked about the situation on members that do not belong to a land grand university, and how will this affect them? Dan Conner suggested to use the project announcement to be submitted to PSA and USP&EA to remind that members need to be actively involved.

Question: Dan Conner raised the question about changes in Washington about funding of multistate projects, currently being affected by proposed legislative changes. It was suggested that the project may need to be re-packaged to support some of these new programs. It was recommended to create a contingency plan in case the suspension of funds affects the survival of the program. Curtis suggested the initiative of organizing and collecting data from the research project indicating the performance of the project to support it in case it needs to be used for future funding. This will show a history of the collaborative efforts in the group.

After further discussion, Jeff Buhr broke down the attendants into sub-groups:

Sub-Objectives and Leaders:
First Group: Food Quality, Casey Owens
Second Group: Egg Safety and Quality, Deana Jones
Third Group: Food Safety, Scott Russell

Internal discussions on each sub-group were held at this moment.

The meeting reconvened at 12:11pm.

It was decided to set a deadline to submit reports from each of the sub-objective groups to the Secretary before October 1, 2006. The assignment for each sub-group chair was to summarize the sub-groups objectives in a short paragraph summarizing all collaborators and topics of research.

The final report was scheduled to be ready before October 9. This final report will be compiled by the secretary of the research project.

Research project symposium ideally to be scheduled at 1:30pm Coffee break at 3:30pm.

Discussion about directions and activities while at Verona, buses, shuttles, etc.

Discussion about the symposium in Atlanta.

Meeting was adjourned.

Accomplishments

SUB-OBJECTIVE 1. POULTRY MEAT QUALITY Accomplishment 1. The use of marination has increased dramatically in the past few years in the poultry industry. It is one of the methods used by the industry for tenderization of early harvested broiler breast fillets as well as a way to increase product yield and increase uniformity of product quality. These effects depend on various factors like deboning times, duration of time between deboning and marination, type of marinade, concentration of marinade, and method of marination. Marinating breast meat not only assists in tenderization process but also increases the yield of the final product. Studies were conducted to assess these factors on the tenderness, yield, and product acceptability. Accomplishment 2. Boneless breast fillets are often portioned into smaller pieces in order to create highly uniform products for foodservice operations and to maximize usage of breast fillets. Larger broilers (>7 lbs.) are often used in this deboning market. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of age on tenderness of slittered (horizontally cut) breast meat and the effect of time of portioning on tenderness. Two hundred forty broilers either 6 or 8 week of age (n=120 each) were slaughtered in an in-line system using a two stage chilling system, and carcasses were deboned at either 2 or 4 h postmortem. Boneless breast fillets were then horizontally cut (slittered) at either time of deboning or at 24 h postmortem to evaluate the effect of portioning time on tenderness. Whole and slittered fillets from 8 wk old broilers were significantly heavier (P<0.05) than fillets (whole and slittered) from 6 wk old broilers. The difference between the treatments of the slittered fillets was approximately 40 g. After cooking, the fillet height of the two treatments differed by less 3 mm (19 vs. 16.7 mm). Deboning at 2 h reduced tenderness compared to deboning at 4 h as indicated by the 2 h fillets having a significantly higher (P<0.05) MORS total energy than the 4 h fillets. The slittered fillets from the 8 wk broilers had significantly higher (P<0.05) MORS total energy (tougher) than the 6 wk broilers. The time of slittering did not further impact tenderness as indicated by no significant differences between total energy values of fillets slittered at time of deboning or at 24 h. Accomplishment 3. Project initiation has included identification of poultry meat supplier and product processing. Researchers are investigating thermally processed and vacuum packaged products. The product will be shipped to Haiti via private freight (ship carrier). Accomplishment 4. Cranberry press cake, an under utilized by-product of the cranberry processing industry is a potential source of food antioxidants. The objective of this research two fold 1) To prepare extracts from cranberry press cake using solvent extraction (SE) and microwave assisted solvent extraction (MASE) 2) To test the ability of these extracts to inhibit lipid oxidation in mechanically separated turkey (MST). Water, ethanol and acetone were used as extraction solvents. Heating press cake prior to extraction with 70% ethanol increased antioxidant efficacy compared to extracting unheated press cake. Water extracts were least effective in inhibiting lipid oxidation. The most effective extracts were obtained by SE with 100% acetone or MASE with 100% ethanol. There was a poor correlation (r = 0.69) between the quercetin equivalent of the extracts and their ability to inhibit TBARS formation in MST. The correlation coefficient between the total amount of quercetin in the extracts and the number of days of TBARS inhibition in MST was 0.87 indicating that there are polyphenols other than quercetin that may play a role in the antioxidant activity of the extracts. Accomplishment 5. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of strain-cross and feeding programs such as lighting, diet density and various feed additives on live performance, processing yields and feet (paw) quality and yields of male and female broiler chickens. Lighting programs having short duration and low intensity that excessively restricted development were detrimental to meat yields even though long-term stress response, as measured by heterophil:lymphocyte ratio remained unaltered. Expression of quality in terms of carcass defects and fillet characteristics is not constant among strains and between sexes with age at marketing. Differences in fatness are obvious in terms of abdominal depots. Extent of wing bruising was the dominant carcass defect, and strain differences suggest preslaughter behavior as the predominant reason. Fillet percentages after simulated commercial deboning also varied widely among four strains and increased from 6 to 8 weeks age, but differences remained similar between the sexes. Tenders changed in parallel with those of fillets, however, females always had distinct advantage (on a percentage bases) compared to males. SUB-OBJECTIVE 2. POULTRY MEAT SAFETY Accomplishment 1. A manuscript is being prepared covering the scientific reporting of religious slaughter, specifically kosher and halal, including poultry. We are also working on the USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant for the Virtual Food Science Field Trips, with a large clip component from the poultry industry and the active learning component being totally poultry oriented. In addition, I continue to give animal welfare talks in various forums, incorporating a poultry component. Accomplishment 2. Fresh broiler chicken drumsticks were purchased from a local processor, inoculated with 104 CFU/mL of S. typhimurium to yield a final concentration of 104 CFU/ml on the surface of the drumsticks. The final treatments included drumsticks, no inoculum, no treatment (negative control), drumsticks + inoculum (positive control), drumsticks + inoculum + 100 ppm Prontech, and drumsticks + Inoculum + 200 ppm Prontech. Results from the study revealed that treatment of the drumsticks with 100 or 200 ppm Prontech resulted in a 1 log reduction in S. typhimurium, when compared to the positive control drumsticks. No significant differences in S. typhimurium were reported for drumsticks treated at 100 and 200 ppm Prontech. Accomplishment 3. Initially, sensitivity tests have been conducted to determine the anti-listerial properties of nisin (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 or 0.5%), rosemary extract (0.5 to 2.0%) and thyme (0.5 to 2.0%). Initial results revealed potential anti-listerial properties for nisin and rosemary. No antimicrobial effects were revealed for thyme. Accomplishment 4. Following electrical stunning, the decapitation of broilers during bleed-out was demonstrated not to significantly increase respiratory tract bacterial contamination during immersion scalding, nor to impede defeathering ability, or to alter carcass quality. Accomplishment 5. Comparison of genetically featherless and feathered broiler chickens during processing through immersion chilling revealed no significant differences in the incidence and level of recovery of Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, or total aerobic bacteria from defeathered or immersion chiller carcasses. Accomplishment 6. The incidence of unabsorbed yolk sacs in present day commercial broilers appears twice as high as for mature broiler roosters, table egg laying hens, or broilers with 1950s genetics (Athens-Canadian Randombred Controls). Unabsorbed yolk sacs are colonized by bacteria and may also serve as a reservoir for the subsequent pathogen recolonization of the intestine or contamination of the abdominal cavity if ruptured during processing. Accomplishment 7. Because of noisy signals from commercial multispectral cameras, a new compact multispectral imaging system was designed and assembled with stereo imaging using replaceable optical filters and sensors. The compact system is composed of beam splitter, lenses and high resolution cameras. Accomplishment 8. Unwanted bones in boneless poultry breast fillets are a serious safety problem resulting in numerous injuries every year. An optical technique to detect bone fragments embedded in poultry breast fillets was developed. Accomplishment 9. Previous studies demonstrated an imaging system with optimal thresholding for spectral image ratio was effective for detecting fecal contaminants on the surface of broiler carcasses. However, differentiating false positives from contaminants was always challenging for the imaging application. Therefore, in addition to image processing in the spatial domain, further processing in the frequency domain can help to identify false positives. In order to remove false positive errors, textural analysis method was developed. Accomplishment 10. Research was conducted to determine the suitability of using white LED light as a light source for hyperspectral and multispectral imaging. The LED sources are cool, long-lasting, and have a much higher light output than traditional LEDs. Accomplishment 11. Antimicrobial treatments were tested for efficacy against poultry pathogens. Spraying poultry carcasses with the following treatments did not enhance removal of pathogens: 1) lactic acid bacteria and nutrient solutions; 2) a blend of citric, hydrochloric, phosphoric acids; and 3) chlorinated water at different temperatures. Microbicidal activity was observed in vitro and on poultry skin for potassium hydroxide and lauric acid mixtures. Accomplishment 12. The microbiological impact of immersion chilling of poultry with lower volumes of water was assessed. Lower numbers of pathogens were recovered from inoculated carcasses after chilling in a high volume of water (16.8 L/kg) as compared to carcasses chilled in a low volume of water (2.1 L/kg). Accomplishment 13. Evaluated microbiology of water from a multiple-tank scalder operating under different conditions from previous reports. Numbers of coliforms, E. coli, and Campylobacter on carcasses are sharply reduced in the third tank compared to the first tank (as much as a 3 log reduction in numbers) with a reduction in incidence of Campylobacter and Salmonella in water from successive tanks. Bacteria in scald water do not predict incidence of bacteria in rinses of defeathered carcasses. Accomplishment 14. Recovery of pathogens from pre-chilled poultry carcasses was evaluated before washing or after a 1 minute wash in either sterile water or a solution containing a high level of chlorine (500 ppm). When compared to sterile water, chlorine reduced levels of aerobic bacteria, E. coli and coliforms by 1.3, 0.6 and 0.6 log10 cfu/mL rinse, respectively; however, carcasses washed with sterile water and chlorine had the same incidence (number of samples positive) of Salmonella. Accomplishment 15. Tested electrolyzed water in inside-outside carcass washers against spoilage bacteria and yeasts. Accomplishment 16. Tested capability of volatile fatty acids placed into the cloaca of carcasses before defeathering to reduce Campylobacter contamination of broiler skin. Accomplishment 17. Tested selected organic acids for ability to support the growth of Campylobacter in vitro. Accomplishment 18. Recent FSIS reports have emphasized on-farm microbiological intervention strategies to reduce in-plant product contamination. Various litter sampling techniques were tested for detecting Salmonella in market-age broiler chickens. In addition, a survey of Salmonella incidence in samples from on-farm broilers (external rinse versus cecal contents) was completed. Accomplishment 19. On-going project with U.S. Poultry & Egg Association to compare microbiology and quality of poultry after immersion or air chilling. Levels of pathogens recovered from non-chlorinated immersion chilled carcasses were not significantly different from the levels recovered from dry air chilled carcasses. Air chilled carcasses had darker skin color and lost approximately 2% in yield during chilling, while immersion chilled carcasses absorbed 8 to 9% water. Accomplishment 20. Initiated experiments designed to partition Salmonella incidence and numbers in external samples (feathers, skin, feet, head) versus internal samples (crop, ceca, colon and cloaca) of broilers after transportation to the processing plant. Accomplishment 21. Initiated experiments designed to reduce the amount of fecal material deposited in the scalder during processing. Full-fed broilers were processed and fecal material was forced from carcasses prior to scalding using a prototype commercial device. Accomplishment 22. During broiler feed withdrawal, the pH of the crop increases and the environment becomes more favorable for Salmonella. Salmonella is then available to contaminate carcasses during processing. Research was conducted to determine that feed supplemented with botanical probiotics containing lactobacilli can support growth of broiler chickens as well as feed supplemented with antibiotics and coccidiostats. Accomplishment 23. The application of the chlorine dioxide treatment immediately after evisceration reduced total aerobic counts, coliform counts and generic E. coli counts by 0.92, 1.02 and 0.63 log CFU/ml of rinse respectively. The acidified sodium chlorite treatment applied after evisceration and chlorine rinse reduced total aerobic counts, coliform counts and generic E. coli counts by an additional 0.73, 0.32 and 0.28 log CFU/ml of rinse respectively. Application of the chlorine dioxide treatment after the chlorine rinse but prior to chilling was not as effective in reducing bacterial loads when compared to post-chilling application. Carcasses submerged for 30 seconds in the chlorine dioxide solution after chilling showed reductions in total aerobic counts, coliforms and generic E. coli counts of 0.52, 0.61 and 0.32 log CFU/ml of rinse, respectively, when compared to carcasses sampled immediately after chilling. There was a significant reduction in the number of Salmonella spp. positive carcasses between control samples and samples treated with the chlorine dioxide solution after chilling (46% reduction). Accomplishment 24. Raw poultry offal was recovered from a poultry processing plant and separate samples were subjected to increasing more severe heat treatments after which samples were plated on BHI. Isolated cells were recovered from the highest temperature (most severe heat) treatment and subjected to thermal inactivation studies. Accomplishment 25. Feather meal and other poultry meat and bone meals were ground and mixed with glycerol then heat-pressed to formed structural materials similar to plastics. These films and sheets performed in physical tests to allow their use in a various applications for non-food uses, including molds and containers. Accomplishment 26. The surface heating rate (³) and final surface temperature (±) during in-package pasteurization were determined for different thickness levels of two types of bologna having different (13% and 18%) fat content. Three different thickness levels (4, 12, and 20 mm) corresponding to 1, 3, and 5 slices of bologna were each vacuum-packaged separately in a clear polymer pouch after placing thermocouples on the surface. Refrigerated samples were immersed into a water bath set to one of four pre-determined temperatures (60, 70, 80, and 90° C) and time and temperature data were recorded for 10 min. Surface- heating rate was fastest in the thinnest (4mm) and slowest in the thickest (20mm) samples for all four pasteurization temperatures. Surface- heating rate was slower in bologna with higher fat content compared to lower fat bologna. Final surface temperature attained after 3 min was lower with increased thickness levels for all pasteurization temperatures. Thus meat sample thickness and fat content significantly affect surface heating rate and final surface temperature during in-package pasteurization of bologna. Accomplishments 27. Studying the microbiology of poultry carcasses at various points during primary processing operations has helped to verify the importance of some HACCP points while revealing ineffective HACCP points. In the studies we have also looked for an easy sampling method, and recommended using excision 2X5 cm skin areas from different areas. In addition we have developed some procedures to better utilize PCR for the detection of Campylobacter jejuni in poultry meat and skin samples. Accomplishments 28. This study focused on determining the effect of feeding whole grains and housing design on cecal Salmonella colonization, growth performance and carcass yield of broilers fed triticale or corn/SBM-based diets. Broilers reared either in a cage-based house (Broilermatic® System) or a conventional house (litter floor) from 0-42 d were assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments (trt): 1) ground corn-SBM (C, 560¼), 2) coarse ground corn-SBM (CC, >1700¼), 3) ground triticale-SBM (T, 560¼), and 4) whole triticale-SBM (WT). A 4-serotype cocktail of Salmonella enterica was orally gavaged into each chick at placement. Cecal populations were estimated on 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 d. Growth performance was measured on 14, 28 and 42 d. Broilers responded differently to the dietary treatments according to housing system. At 42 d, broilers reared on litter had better body weights when fed ground grain (2.87, 2.86, 2.73, 2.69 kg; trt 3, 1, 4, 2, respectively; no statistical difference between T and C); however, broilers reared in the Broilermatic cages were heavier when fed T (2.75, 2.67, 2.65, 2.61 kg; trt 3, 4, 2, 1, respectively, no statistical difference between WT, CC and C). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was influenced by housing design. Compared to the Broilermatic system, raising broilers on litter improved the 1-42d FCR (1.71 vs. 1.81 g/g. Independent of housing system, relative eviscerated carcass weights of broilers feed T were equivalent to the C fed broilers and heavier than CC and WT fed broilers (0.764, 0.760, 0.752, 0.752 g/g, respectively). Feeding whole/coarse ground grains decreased cecal Salmonella populations in broilers (3.8, 3.9, 4.4, 4.4 log MPN/g; trt 2, 4, 1, 3, respectively). Housing type also influenced cecal Salmonella populations. At 42d, broilers reared on litter had lower populations than broilers reared in cages (3.8 vs. 4.4 log MPN/g). In conclusion, triticale appeared to be a good alternative feed ingredient to corn resulting in improved body weights and reduced Salmonella colonization. Moreover, raising broilers on litter greatly reduced cecal Salmonella populations. SUB-OBJECTIVE 3. EGG QUALITY AND SAFETY Accomplishment 1. Studies were conducted to examine the presence of aerobic organisms, Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria on vacuum loader suction cups and packer head brushes in 2 shell egg processing facilities. Salmonella and Campylobacter were found on 3% and 1%, respectively, of the suction cups sampled. Listeria was isolated on 72% of the suction cups. No pathogens were recovered from eggs. Higher numbers of aerobic bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae were recovered from washed eggs when > 4.0 log cfu aerobes/mL or >2.0 log cfu Enterobacteriaceae/mL per sample were recovered from packer head brushes. Accomplishment 2. Influence of hen age on shell egg exterior, interior, and contents microflora and Salmonella prevalence during a single production cycle. Hen age significantly affected the microbial loads on each of the egg components tested. Exterior counts increased in period 4, possibly due to hens being diagnosed with Osteomalacia. Interior counts were erratic, increasing as much as 2 log units over the 12-month cycle. Contents data was not significantly different until period 12, when microbial loads increased from 0 to 1 log unit. There were 120 total eggs taken, and of these there were two suspect positive Salmonella samples. Exterior and interior shell each had one suspect positive. Accomplishment 3. Cool water washing was tested in two shell egg operations. Results indicated that cool water washing could enhance the cooling of shell eggs and potentially reduce pathogen growth. Accomplishment 4. Studies were conducted to examine the effectiveness of periacetic acid and chlorine as shell surface sanitizers. Solutions were applied to the surface of visibly clean, unwashed eggs. Enterobacteriaceae prevalence was reduced 20-50% with periacetic acid compared to the other treatments. When a mechanical nano-atomizer was used to apply the periacetic acid, Enterobacteriaceae prevalence was reduced 94%. A 200 ppm chlorine solution was less successful when applied in the same manner. Accomplishment 5. Bacterial populations were determined on restricted shell eggs destined for the egg products industry. Restricted eggs are those which do not meet quality standards to be sold as shell eggs. All shell/membrane emulsion and contents pools were positive for aerobic organisms (>4.5 log cfu/mL and > 2 log cfu/mL, respectively). Enterobacteriaceae were detected in 99% of shell/membrane emulsion pools and 29% of egg contents pools. Listeria was detected in 36% of shell/membrane emulsion pools and 5% of contents pools. Salmonella and Campylobacter were isolated from 2% and 1%, respectively, of shell/membrane emulsion pools. Accomplishment 6. Enterobacteriaceae were recovered from 98% of nest run cart shelving in shell egg processing plants (mixed and off-line operations). On average, 3.4 log cfu/cm2 were recovered per shelf, with bottom shelves dirtier than top-most shelves (4.1 v. 2.5 log cfu/cm2). Enterobacter and Escherichia were the most commonly identified genera. Others included Citrobacter, Hafnia, Klebsiella, Kluyvera, Leclercia, and Salmonella; Pseudomonas was the only non-Enterobacteriaceae genus identified and is commonly associated with egg spoilage. Accomplishment 7. The preliminary portion of a retail survey of varying types of shell eggs was conducted. The eggs were examined for the prevalence of several foodborne pathogens as well as the enumeration of aerobic populations and Enterobacteriaceae. Physical quality factors such as Haugh units, vitelline membrane strength, shell strength and thickness, total solids, ash and fat were also monitored. Accomplishment 8. Blood spots, meat spots, and eggshell checks and cracks are significant problems for the table egg industry. Research was conducted to develop an inexpensive imaging system to detect blood spots, meat spots, and eggshell cracks. Accomplishment 9. The main trend observed during these experiments include a lower foaming capacity of the eggs after storage (higher cake density values corresponding to longer storage times). However, no storage temperature effects have been observed so far. EXTENSION OR INSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES Accomplishment 1. Dr. Regenstein has participated on the Food Marketing Institute/National Council of Chain Restaurants Animal Welfare Technical Committee, participated in the Humane Farm Animal Care program's technical committee, taught in the North Central Regional Poultry Project, and presented three lectures on Kosher/Halal, new product development, and animal welfare. Accomplishment 2. The shell egg industry is in need of continuous training for production and processing personnel in order to keep then current with todays changing technologies and regulations in production, processing, and distribution of eggs for the consumer. The National Egg Quality school organization is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization whos main aim is to provide students from the industry the latest information about egg quality and the factors affecting quality. The training begins with the basics of egg formation then, egg quality factors and the components which may affect quality. The students are also trained in USDA grading and regulatory changes. Individualized instruction and hands on laboratories are the trade mark of the school. The students are divided into small work groups with an experienced instructor who works with them on an individual basis. To earn a certificate the students will have a written and lab practical exam. Accomplishment 3. The 2005 National Egg Products School was held in November in Auburn, AL. The school offered hands on laboratory experiences to assist participants in understanding the functionality characteristics of egg products. The 2006 school had faculty from Auburn University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Arkansas. The National Egg Products School Advisory board is made up of representatives from industry, trade organizations, government and academia.

Publications

A. Journal Articles Ahlborn, G. J., D. A. Clare, B. W. Sheldon, and R. W. Kelly. 2006. Identification of eggshell membrane proteins and purification of ovotransferrin and ²-NAGase from hen egg white. The Protein J. 25:71-81. Ahlborn, G., and B. W. Sheldon. 2006. Identifying the components in eggshell membrane responsible for reducing the heat resistance of bacterial pathogens. J. Food Prot. 69:729-738. Bailey, J. S., N. A. Cox, D. E. Cosby, and L. J. Richardson. 2005. Movement and persistence of Salmonella in broiler chickens following oral or intracloacal inoculation. J. Food Prot. 68:2698-2701. Barbut, S. 2005. Effect of enhanced fluorescent light on acceptability of meat cuts. J. Muscle Food. 16:77-86. Barbut, S. 2006. Effects of caseinate, whey and milk powders on the texture and microstructure of emulsified chicken meat batters. J. Food Sci. Techn. 39:660-664. Barbut, S. 2006. Fermentation and chemical acidification of salami type products Effect on yield, texture, and microstructure. J. Muscle Food. 17:34-42. Berrang, M. E., and J. K. Northcutt. 2005. Use of water spray and extended drying time to lower bacterial numbers on soiled flooring from broiler transport coops. Poult. Sci. 84:1797-1801. Berrang, M. E., R. J. Meinersmann, J. F. Frank, D. P. Smith, and L. L. Genzlinger. 2005. Distribution of Listeria monocytogenes subtypes within a poultry further processing plant. J. Food Prot. 68:980-985. Berrang, M. E., D. P. Smith, and A. Hinton, Jr. 2006. Application of distilled white vinegar in the cloaca to counter the increase in Campylobacter numbers on broiler skin during feather removal. J. Food Prot. 69:425-427. Berrang, M. E., D. P. Smith, and A. Hinton, Jr. 2006. Organic acids placed into the cloaca to reduce Campylobacter contamination of broiler skin during defeathering. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 15:287-291. Bianchi, M., D. L. Fletcher, and D. P. Smith. 2005. Physical and functional properties of intact and ground pale broiler breast meat. Poult. Sci. 84:803-808. Buhr, R. J., M. E. Berrang, J. A. Cason, and D. V. Bourassa. 2005. Recovery of bacteria from broiler carcass respiratory tracts before and after immersion scalding. Poult. Sci. 84:1769-1773. Buhr, R. J., D. V. Bourassa, J. K. Northcutt, A. Hinton Jr., K. D. Ingram, and J. A. Cason. 2005. Bacteria recovery from genetically feathered and featherless broiler carcasses after immersion chilling. Poult. Sci. 84:1499-1504. Buhr, R. J., M. T. Musgrove, L. J. Richardson, N. A. Cox, J. L. Wilson, J. S. Bailey, D. E. Cosby, and D. V. Bourassa. 2005. Recovery of Campylobacter jejuni in the feces and semen of caged broiler breeder roosters following three routes of inoculation. Avian Dis. 49:577-581. Buhr, R. J., J. K. Northcutt, L. J. Richardson, N. A. Cox, and B. D. Fairchild. 2006. 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Cosby, J. A. Cason, M. T. Musgrove, and G. F. Mead. 2005. Bacterial contamination of poultry as a risk to human health. Ch. 2: Bacterial contamination of poultry as a risk to human health, pgs 21-44. In: Food Safety control in the poultry industry. Ed. G.C. Mead, Woodhead publishing Ltd. Abington, England. Curtis, P. A. 2005. Food Laws and Regulations. Blackwell Publishing Professional, 2121 State Avenue, Ames, IA 50014-8300. (ISBN 0 8138 1946 6). Curtis, P. A. 2005. HACCP in Poultry Processing In: Food Safety Control in the Poultry Industry. Woodhead Publishing Company, Cambridge, CB1 6AH, UK. (ISBN 1 85573 954 2). Dawson, P. L. N. and Spinelli. 2005. Poultry Flavors. In Food Flavor. Feng Chen, Editor. Richards, M. P. 2006. Lipid Chemistry and Biochemistry. In Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering. Vol 1. Chapter 8; Y. H. Hui, Ed.; CRC: Taylor and Francis: Boca Raton, Florida; pp. 8-1 to 8-21. Sánchez, M. X., and H. Thippareddi. 2006. Thermal Processing of Meat Products. In Thermal Food Processing: New Technologies and Quality Issues. Edited by Da-Wen Sun. Zeidler, G., K. E. Anderson, and M. Samimi. 2006. Chapter 21, Eggs and Egg Products, 2006 ASHRAE! Handbook, Refrigeration, I-P and S-I Editions. M.S. Owen, Editor, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., 1791 Tullie Circle, NE., Atlanta, GA 30329. D. Symposia Presentations: Crane, E., B. Ballieu, K. Horm, H. Johnson, A. Spokowski, J. Trevino, R. Yost, P. Dawson. 2006. The Effect of Cleaning on Survival of E. coli on Common Food Preparation Surfaces Focus on Creative Inquiry, April 2006, Clemson University. Dawson, P. L. 2005. Post Processing Treatments for Ready-to-Eat Meats: High Pressure and Surface Thermal Processing. Symposium manuscript based on presentation given at the USDA Food Safety Conference, Myrtle Beach, SC. Journal of the Association of Food and Drug Officials. (AFDO) 69(4):9- 21. Dawson, P. L. 2005. Innovative methods to handle waste. Food Industry Association of South Carolina, April. Hilton Head, SC. Dawson, P. L. 2005. Improving the Safety of Ready-to-Eat Meats: High Pressure Processing and Inpackage Pasteurization. USDA Food Safety Conference, Myrtle Beach, SC. Dawson, P. L. and A. K. Greene. 2005. Animal Co-Products research at Clemson University. Food Protein Research Foundation. May. Chicago, IL. Dawson, P. L., and A. K. Greene. 2005. SRMs to Biodiesel: A Biosafety Workshop. Ottawa, Canada by teleconference June 21, 2005 Emerging issues in Animal Tallow. Dawson, P. L. 2005. Safety of Ready-to-Eat Meat: Using Antimicrobials to Eliminate Listeria. International Poultry Products Symposium. Auburn University. Dawson, P. L., L. Ramirez-Lopez, and I. Han. 2006. Thermal Process Preliminary Calculations: Enumeration of Thermally Resistant Bacteria in Raw Rendering Materials, Animal Co-Products Research Conference, Clemson University April 4 2006. Owens, C.M. 2006. Muscle to meat conversion: Impact on quality and yield. U.S. Poultry & Egg Association Poultry Processors Workshop. Atlanta, GA. May 17-18, 2006. Sánchez, M.X. 2005. Influencia de la Nutrición en la Calidad de la Carne de Ave. XII Congreso Bienal, Asociación Mexicana de Especialistas en Nutrición Animal (AMENA), October, 2005, Puerto Vallarta, México. Sánchez, M.X. 2005. Antimicrobianos y Desinfectantes. I Congreso de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, May, 2005, Quito, Ecuador. Sánchez, M.X. 2005. Integración de Programas de Inocuidad de la Granja a la Mesa. VIII Congreso Latinoamericano de Microbiología (ICMSF), May, 2005, Bogotá, Colombia. Sánchez, M.X. 2005. Calidad e Inocuidad en el Procesamiento de Aves. VII Semana Nacional Alimentaria, Universidad de Pamplona, October, 2005, Pamplona, Colombia. Sánchez, M. X. 2006. Calidad e Inocuidad en el Procesamiento Avícola de la Granja a la Mesa. Asociación Mexicana de Especialistas en Ciencias Avícolas (ANECA) Annual Meeting., April, 2006. Ixtapa, México. Sheldon, B. W. 2006. Avian Influenza: What You Need To Know. Carolina Association for Food Protection Symposium. Clemson University, Clemson, SC, February 24, 2006. E. Proceedings Ahlborn, G., and B. W. Sheldon. 2006. Potential for improving the safety of foods using an eggshell membrane waste product. In Proceedings of the 2006 National Poultry Waste Management Symposium, Springdale, Arkansas, October 23-25, 2006 (on CD). Bilgili, S. F., M. A. Alley, J. B. Hess, and E. T. Moran, Jr. 2005. Influence of strain cross, sex, and feeding programs on broiler chicken paw (feet) yield and quality. Pages 342-349 Proc. European Symposium on the Quality of Poultry Meat, Doorwerth, The Netherlands. Buhr, R. J. 2006. Scalding, Defeathering, and Rehang as Primary Sources for Redistributing Salmonella Typically with No Antimicrobial Intervention and the Featherless Broilers. USDA-FSIS Invited Presentation during the public meeting entitled Advances in Post-Harvest Interventions to Reduce Salmonella in Poultry. Atlanta, GA, February 23-24. Buhr, R. J. 2006. Electrical Stunning of Poultry. In: Proceedings of the Poultry Care and Handling Seminar, United States Poultry and Egg Association, Atlanta, Georgia, August 9-10, 2006. Cason, J. A. 2006. Limits on the Effectiveness of Antimicrobial Treatments. USDA-FSIS Invited Presentation during the public meeting entitled Advances in Post-Harvest Interventions to Reduce Salmonella in Poultry. Atlanta, GA. February 23-24. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Agenda_PostHarvest_022306/index.asp Cox., N. A., K. L. Hiett, R. J. Buhr, L. J., Richardson, J. K. Northcutt, P. F. Cray, J. S. Bailey, B. D. Fairchild, J. M. Mauldin. 2005. Incidence and microbiology of unabsorbed yolk sacs (attached or free floating) in commercial broilers. Proceedings of the 15th annual Campylobacter, Helicobacter and Related Organisms International Workshop. p.23. Cox., N. A., K. L. Hiett, L. J. Richardson, R. J. Buhr, J. L. Wilson, J. S. Bailey, P. F. Cray. 2005. Presence of naturally occurring Campylobacter in the mature and immature ovarian follicles and in the internal organs of broiler breeder hens. Proceedings of the 15th annual Campylobacter, Helicobacter and Related Organisms International Workshop. p.22. Hess, J. B., S. F. Bilgili, and E. R. Miller. 2005. Nutritional influences on broilers raised on a restrictive lighting schedule. Pages 9-18 Proc. Arkansas Nutrition Conference, Rogers, AR. Jones, D. R. 2005. The role of egg products in crystallization. Proceedings of the National Egg Products School. pp. 9.1-9.4. Auburn, Alabama. November 6-10, 2005. Jones, D. R., and M. T. Musgrove. 2006. Impact of shell egg processing on food safety. Australian Poultry Science Symposium. Sydney, Australia. February 20-21, 2006. Jones, D. R. 2006. Conserving and monitoring shell egg quality. Australian Poultry Science Symposium. Sydney, Australia. February 20-21, 2006. Jones, D. R. 2006. Effectively addressing consumer questions. Proceedings of the National Egg Quality School. pp. 321-325. Memphis, Tennessee. May 22-25, 2006. Jones, D. R. 2006. Egg quality: Whats the point? Proceedings of the National Egg Quality School. pp. 51-53. Memphis, Tennessee. May 22-25, 2006. Jones, D. R. 2006. Haugh unit assessment. Proceedings of the National Egg Quality School. Pp. 123-124. Memphis, Tennessee. May 22-25, 2006. Jones, D. R. 2006. Understanding HACCP. Proceedings of the National Egg Quality School. pp. 223-227. Memphis, Tennessee. May 22-25, 2006. Jones, D. R. 2006. Food crystallization and egg products. Proceedings of the National Egg Products School. pp. 9.1-9.4. Fayetteville, Arkansas. July 30-August 3, 2006. Li, X., J. B. Payne, F. B. O. Santos, K. E. Anderson, and B. W. Sheldon. 2005. Surveillance of Salmonella populations, prevalence and serotype diversity in layer feces as a function of production cycle and molting. In: Proc. Of the 2005 Animal Waste Management Symposium. The Development of Alternative Technologies for the Processing and Use of Animal Waste, Ed. G.B. Havenstein, Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Conference Center, Research Triangle Park, NC October 5-7, pp. 362-368. Moran, E.T., Jr., J. Galobart Cots, and N. S. Joseph. 2005. Yield & quality of breast and thigh meats from diverse strain broiler males in response to carrying stress imposed pre-slaughter. Pages 1-6, Proc. European Symposium on the Quality of Poultry Meat, Doorwerth, The Netherlands. Musgrove, M. T. 2006. Sanitation sampling in the shell egg processing plant. National Egg Regulatory Officials Annual Meeting. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. March 5-8, 2005. Musgrove, M. T. 2005. Microbiology of commercial shell eggs and egg products. Proceedings of the National Egg Products School. pp. 2.1-2.8. Auburn, Alabama. November 6-10, 2005. Musgrove, M. T. 2006. Keeping food-borne disease and eggs in perspective. Proceedings of the National Egg Quality School. pp. 279a-279l. Memphis, Tennessee. May 21-25, 2006. Musgrove, M. T. 2006. Sanitation in shell egg processing plants. Proceedings of the National Egg Quality School. pp. 215-222. Memphis, Tennessee. May 21-25, 2006. Musgrove, M. T. 2006. Factors that affect the microbiology of commercial shell egg processing. Proceedings of the National Egg Products School. pp. 2.1-2.13. Fayetteville, Arkansas. July 31- August 3, 2006. Musgrove, M. T., D. R. Jones, N. A. Cox, M. A. Harrison, and J. K. Northcutt. 2005. Determination of post-processing shell egg sanitizer efficacy. Proceedings of the 34th Annual Meeting of the United States-Japan Cooperative Program in Natural Resources Food and Agriculture Panel. Pp. 338-343. Shizuoka, Japan. October 23-29, 2005. Musgrove, M. T., D. R. Jones, J. K .Northcutt, N. A. Cox, and M. A. Harrison. 2006. Reducing microbial contamination during shell egg processing. Midwest Poultry Federation. Minneapolis, Minnesota. March 21-23, 2006. Northcutt, J. K. 2005. Profile of Women in Management. U.S. Poultry & Egg Association Invited Presentation during Women in Management Symposium. Myrtle Beach, SC. Northcutt, J. K. 2006. Impact of Chilling on Poultry Carcass Microbiology. USDA-FSIS Invited Presentation during the public meeting entitled Advances in Post-Harvest Interventions to Reduce Salmonella in Poultry. Atlanta, GA, February 23-24. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Agenda_PostHarvest_022306/index.asp Sheldon, B.W. 2006. Impact of laying hen Cycle and molting on the prevalence and populations of Salmonella. Proc. Midwest Poultry Federation Convention, Saint Paul River Centre, St. Paul, MN, March 21-23. In Egg Processing Session (on CD). Smith, D. P., J. M. Mauldin, K. C. Lawrence, B. Park, and G. W. Heitschmidt. 2005. Detection of fertility and early development of hatching eggs with hyperspectral imaging. Proc 11th European Symposium on the Quality of Eggs and Egg Products, p. 176-180. Smith, D. P., and L. L. Young. 2005. The effect of pressure and phosphates on yield, shear, and color of marinated broiler breast meat. Proc. 17th European Symposium on the Quality of Poultry Meat, p. 139-144. Yoon, S. C., K. C. Lawrence, D. P. Smith, B. Park, and W. R. Windham. 2006. Bone fragment detection in chicken breast fillets using back-illuminated structured light. ASABE Paper No. 063017, ASABE, St. Joseph, Mich. Zeidler, G., and P. A. Curtis. 2006. Meat Products. In: 2006 ASHRAE Refrigeration Handbook, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers, Inc. Zeidler, G., and P. A. Curtis. 2006. Poultry Products. In: 2006 ASHRAE Refrigeration Handbook, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers, Inc. F. Popular Trade Articles: Anderson, K. E., and A. G. Gernat. 2005. Does the use of Antibiotics in Poultry Production Pose a Risk to Human Health? North Carolina Poultry Newsletter, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 1-4. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, Summer 2005. Dawson, P. L. 2006. Research Review. Poultry USA. Watt Publishing, January, 2006. Dawson, P. L. 2006. Research Review. Poultry USA. Watt Publishing, May, 2006. Fanatico A. C., J. L. Emmert, C. M. Owens, J. F. Meullenet. 2006. Impact of Genotype and Production System on Performance, Meat Quality and Sensory Attributes of Meat Chickens. Feedinfo News Service Scientific Reviews. July 2006. Available from URL: http://www.feedinfo.com." Owens, C. M. 2006. Further Processing: Big Time. Page 39, Poultry Magazine. February/March issue. Russell, S. M. 2005. New hurdles for water reuse. Poultry USA Magazine, Watt Publishing, pp.24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 35, August. Russell, S. M. 2005. Surmounting Salmonella. Poultry Magazine, October/November. Pp. 22- 24. Russell, S. M. 2005. Verification of intervention strategies for reducing pathogenic and indicator bacteria on broiler carcasses: A case study. Poultry USA Magazine, Watt Publishing, pp. 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 55, 56, 58, 60, and 61, December. Russell, S. M., 2006. White spots on breast, thigh meat causes concern. Poultry Times, June 19th. Russell, S. M. 2006. Post-chill dip tanks are gaining popularity among processors. Poultry Times, June 19th. Sheldon, B.W. 2005. Controlling Pathogens. Meat Processing 44(8):67. Sheldon, B.W. 2005. Enhancing Dark Meat Yields. Meat Processing 44(10):94. Sheldon, B.W. 2005. Impact of Natural Versus Synthetic Pigments on Skin Color. Meat Processing 44(12):58. Sheldon, B.W. 2006. No Salmonella Advantage. Meat Processing 45(2):56. Sheldon, B.W. 2006. Sensory Attributes of Broiler Meat. Meat Processing 45(4):52. Sheldon, B.W. 2006. Effective Microbial Controls. Meat Processing 45(6):97. Sheldon, B.W. 2006. Lipid Oxidation: Control and Detection. Meat Processing 45(8):47. G. Patents None. H. Review Articles None. I. Web Sites J. M. Regenstein, D. Lund, B. Ingham, and S. Rizvi. Cornell University and University of Wisconsin, Madison. Web site (VFT): seeker.doit.wisc.edu/foodsci J. Extension Bulletins: Russell, S. M. 2006. <http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1310.htm>, Troubleshooting Salmonella in Poultry Processing Plants: Case Studies, Russell, S. M. 2006. <http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1313.htm>, Preventing Salmonella Colonization of Chickens Russell, S. M. 2006. <http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/C902.htm>, Solving Fecal Contamination Problems in the Processing Plant Russell, S. M. 2006. <http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/C901.htm, Water Reuse in Poultry Processing

Impact Statements

Subobjective 1: Poultry Meat Quality: (for accomplishment 1) Extended aging after early deboning combined with marination (0.5% salt) could significantly improve meat tenderness similar to that of post-rigor deboned and marinated meat. Marinating early deboned breast fillets with low levels of salt combined with extended aging may result in a product with acceptable levels of tenderness, flavor and other sensory attributes. Using these findings, processors can optimize their aging and marination procedures to produce a high quality poultry product.
Subobjective 1: Poultry Meat Quality: (for accomplishment 2) The age of broilers and time of deboning impact tenderness of slittered/portioned breast meat more than the popular process of slittering (horizontally cutting). However, vertical portioning may impact tenderness more than horizontal portioning.
Subobjective 1: Poultry Meat Quality: (for accomplishment 3) The results of this research will have significant economic and health impacts on Haiti and other under developed countries, as well as developed countries.
Subobjective 1: Poultry Meat Quality: (for accomplishment 4) Methods to inhibit lipid oxidation in muscle foods are described.
Subobjective 1: Poultry Meat Quality: (for accomplishment 5) Light restrictions are not easily remedied by either increased diet density or feed additives that improve performance. While body weight and carcass quality is expected to differ between broiler sexes and change with age, variance of expression among commercial strains appears to be equally extensive. In turn, response to feed formulation modifications, environment, and pre-slaughter handling indicated by one strain may not be equivalently expressed by another.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 1) The Virtual Food Science Field Trip project could significantly aid faculty in presenting/teaching about poultry processing. Animal welfare is something the poultry industry will need to continue to deal with and understanding what is expected of the industry helps the industry, and getting the consumers to understand what is being done and why will, hopefully, avoid changes that go beyond what is really necessary.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 2) The effectiveness of Prontech as an anti-Salmonella aid will have significant economic effect on the poultry industry. PRONTECH provides an additional anti-Salmonella intervention process for the poultry industry.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 3) The results of this study will have significant economic impact on the poultry industry and provide an additional safety barrier for the consuming public. The results of this study will reveal potential anti-listerial hurdles for ready-to-eat poultry using natural ingredients.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 4) Decapitation of electrically stunned broiler chickens is being utilized commercially and thereby eliminates the potential animal welfare concern that stunned broilers may regain consciousness prior to death during bleed-out.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 5) The presence of feathers and feather follicles during processing and immersion chilling appears to have minimal influence on the incidence and level of recovery of foodborne pathogenic bacteria from carcasses, and therefore carcass decontamination intervention efforts can be directed elsewhere (away from empty feather follicles).
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 6) At a high incidence of 49% for unabsorbed yolk sacs in commercial broilers at the time of processing, yolk sacs and the recovery of both Campylobacter and salmonellae could be a potential route for carcass Campylobacter and salmonellae contamination during processing. However, considering that the vast majority of the unabsorbed yolk sacs were detected intact and attached to the intestine, carcass contamination if ruptured during evisceration would only be a minor source of contamination.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 7) Initial tests proved the compact system could acquire high speed, high quality registered spectral images. This compact system can be further developed for hand-held fecal contaminant detection.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 8) The method reduces the scattering effects of the breast meat and uses an image processing algorithm to enhance the image of the bone for improved detection.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 9) This method can identify contamination regardless of fecal source (duodenum, ceca, or colon) and diets (corn, wheat, milo with soybean mixture) for maximizing detecting accuracy and minimizing errors.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 10) LEDs are a good alternative for applications in the visible light range but not as well suited for imaging in the near-infrared region.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 11) Results suggested which antimicrobial treatments are efficacious against pathogenic bacteria and are worth further study.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 12) Water use is associated with expense and environmental impact. These experiments indicated the range in which chill water volume affects carcass microbiology.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 13) Microbiological benefits of multiple-tank scalding were demonstrated.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 14) Chlorine in prechill carcass rinses reduced numbers of indicator bacteria but had no impact on incidence of Salmonella recovery.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 15) Determined that acidic electrolyzed water can be effectively be used in inside-outside carcass washers to decrease the population of spoilage bacteria and yeasts on processed broiler carcasses.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 16) Determined that volatile fatty acids can reduce Campylobacter contamination of broiler skin during defeathering operations when solutions of the acids are placed into the cloaca of the carcasses.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 17) Determined optimal concentrations of selected organic acids that can be used to support the growth of Campylobacter.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 18) Some litter sampling methods are much better (by up to 25%) at detecting Salmonella in poultry flocks at the farm. Better detection may lead to better and more timely interventions.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 19) Results will guide decisions concerning use of different chilling systems.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 20) Knowing the incidence and numbers of Salmonella bacteria in different areas of incoming carcasses will allow focused interventions to remove contamination and reduce cross-contamination.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 21) Forced evacuation significantly reduced carcass weight and the level of total solids deposited in the scalder.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 22) Feeds that maintain crop pH can inhibit the increase in crop Salmonella incidence that is seen after feed withdrawal.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 23) Shelf-life of carcasses was increased 5 to 6 days after the post-chilling application of the chlorine dioxide treatment when compared to non-treated controls. Post-chilling application of chlorine dioxide solutions during processing may be considered as a final intervention strategy to reduce bacterial loads and increase shelf-life of broiler carcasses.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 24) Determination of the thermal inactivation profiles of the most heat resistant bacterial isolates in raw poultry offal will assist the rendering industry in producing high quality protein meals for value-added applications.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 25) The tightening regulations on use of animal by-products in animal feed may impact the poultry industry in the future as it is already impacting the beef industry. By finding new uses for these by-products the value to the poultry industry will be increased while disposing of an organic material with high microbial load.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 26) The USDA issued a rule in October of 2003 that certain RTE meat and poultry products must implement one of three risk-based alternatives with written program and verification through testing to control L. monocytogenes. A postlethality treatment is included in two of the three alternatives. A practical approach of in-package pasteurization as a post-lethality treatment to target surface L. monocytogenes would reduce the risk of its presence.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 27) The proposed sampling method (by excision) has proven easy to use and very effective in verifying HACCP points in a commercial poultry plant. We are currently continuing to evaluate various processes and their effect on reducing the microbial load on poultry carcasses. Developing enrichment and centrifugation steps, prior to PCR identification of Campylobacter jejuni, should be beneficial to the industry in cutting down detection time.
Subobjective 2: Poultry Meat Safety: (for accomplishment 28) The information gained from these studies can be a useful tool for developing new and effective control strategies for reducing pre-harvest Salmonella contamination through a multiple step intervention program that includes dietary changes and changes in housing design. The current high costs of processing interventions used to meet the USDA Salmonella Performance Standards may be reduced if alternative cost-effective practices such as described in these two studies are identified and applied.
Sub-Objective 3: Egg Quality & Safety: (for accomplishment 1) These findings will lead to more effective plant sanitation practices on vacuum loader suction cups and packer head brushes.
Sub-Objective 3: Egg Quality & Safety: (for accomplishment 2): Access to data regarding quality, functionality and microbial susceptibility of eggs among hen strains over time will enable processors to select strains, process products to meet target markets.
Sub-Objective 3: Egg Quality & Safety: (for accomplishment 3) Cool water washing information provides baseline data for submission to USDA for approval of an alternative washing process. Approving the use of cool water wash process would not only reduce energy costs but improve egg quality and safety.
Sub-Objective 3: Egg Quality & Safety: (for accomplishment 4) Periacetic acid is a promising sanitizer for shell eggs.
Sub-Objective 3: Egg Quality & Safety: (for accomplishment 5) Numbers and incidence of indicator and pathogenic bacteria were determined on restricted shell eggs.
Sub-Objective 3: Egg Quality & Safety: (for accomplishment 6) Knowing genera and numbers of Enterobacteriaceae may be useful in judging adequacy of sanitation program for egg cart shelving.
Sub-Objective 3: Egg Quality & Safety: (for accomplishment 7) Information from this preliminary study will be utilized to develop a regional retail study involving cooperators from several universities in the Southern US.
Sub-Objective 3: Egg Quality & Safety: (for accomplishment 8) Results were promising for blood spots and eggshell cracks but more research is needed to identify meat spots in table eggs.
Sub-Objective 3: Egg Quality & Safety: (for accomplishment 9) Results are expected to scientifically support the establishment of a low temperature limit to store eggs without affecting quality and functionality that will complement the current upper limit of 7.2ºC (45ºF). The established limits and accompanying information is expected to provide guidance to processors, retailers and regulating officers to maximize the safety and quality of shell eggs and their derivatives while reducing problems associated with denatured yolks and whites.
Extension or Instruction Activities: (for accomplishment 1) He has also worked with three S-292 Colleagues on a USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant and determined that both the Jewish and Muslim leadership believes that gas stunning of poultry is inconsistent with their religious beliefs.
Extension or Instruction Activities: (for accomplishment 2)Students from numerous states, US territory, and internationally have joined more than 5,670 alumni from around the world who have attended this school over the past 77 years. This school continues its emphasis on the preservation of shell egg quality and ensuring that consumers today are purchasing the highest quality product. In addition, emerging issues of microbial quality, food safety, and HACCP plan development are topics important to the industry and are included in the school.
Extension or Instruction Activities: (for accomplishment 3) The National Egg Products School provides breaking plant personnel quality assurance supervisors, and middle management within the egg breaking industry current information on what constitutes egg product quality, how to measure it, and important issues facing the egg industry in the region.

Date of Annual Report: 01/28/2008

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 10/29/2007 - 10/30/2007
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2006 - 09/01/2007

Participants

Acton, James(jcacton@clemson.edu)- Clemson University; Ahn, Dong duahn@iastate.edu)-Iowa State University; Anderson, Ken(ken_anderson@ncsu.edu)- NC State University; Arritt, Fletcher(fletcher_arritt@ncsu.edu) - NC State University; Barbut, Shai(sbarbut@uoguelph.ca) - University of Guelph; Barefoot, Susan(SBRFT@clemson.edu)- Clemson University; Buhr, Jeff(jeff.buhr@ars.usda.gov)- USDA/ARS; Cason, John(john.cason@ars.usda.gov) - USDA/ARS; Cox, Nelson(nelson.cox@ars.usda.gov) - USDA/ARS; Curtis, Patricia(Pat_Curtis@auburn.edu) - Auburn University; Dawson, Paul(pdawson@clemson.edu) - Clemson University; Moran, Jr., Ed(emoran@acesag.auburn.edu)- Auburn; Musgrove, Mike(mike.musgrove@ars.usda.gov) - USDA/ARS; Owens, Casey (cmowens@uark.edu) - University of Arkansas; Regenstein, Joe(jmr9@cornell.edu) - Cornell University; Russell, Scott(srussell@uga.edu) - University of Georgia; Sanchez, Marcos(msanchez@poultry.tamu.edu) - Texas A&M University; Sheldon, Brian(brian_sheldon@ncsu.edu) - NC State University; Singh, Manpreet (mzs0004@auburn.edu) - Auburn University; Smith, Doug (douglas.smith@ars.usda.gov) - USDA/ARS; Walters, Bonnie (bonnie.s.walters@uwrf.edu).

Brief Summary of Minutes

Summary attached

Minutes Attachment:

Attachment

Accomplishments

OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety Accomplishment 1. Food pathogens represent the primary concern. Influence of natural spoilage bacteria and product storage conditions on survival of Campylobacter on poultry meat was determined. The association of Listeria monocytogenes with welded stainless steel of varying finishes was determined to assess contamination potential during processing. Pre-slaughter fasting programs implemented to reduce carcass contamination of GI tract contaminants were investigated as a promoter of pathogen multiplication and shedding during transit. Vitamin U (S-Methylmethionine) was supplemented to feed of broilers as a potential inhibitor of colonization and shedding of Salmonella Typhimurium. In-house composting of litter was evaluated for reducing Salmonella, Campylobacter and Clostridium. Different cleaning regimens on transport coops were evaluated for their efficacy in eliminating C. perfringens. Campylobacter jejuni occurring on retail broiler meat was treated with lemon based marinades as a practical means to reduce contamination. Accomplishment 2. Chemicals were screened and identified as effective for eliminating Salmonella in fertile hatching eggs. Accomplishment 3. Used a chick bioassay to recover a viable but non-culturable dry-stressed Campylobacter via intracloacal inoculation. Development of more sensitive methods to culture Campylobacter from dry poultry samples. Accomplishment 4. Numbers of bacteria found on dry air chilled and immersion chilled chickens were not significantly different. Accomplishment 5. Sampling of chickens arriving for processing indicated that external and internal incidence of Campylobacter was equivalent, but more Campylobacter were found in the intestinal tract than in external samples. In the case of Salmonella, however, incidence was greater in external samples than in the intestinal tract. Accomplishment 6. Sampling water during washing of broiler carcasses indicated that bacteria leave the carcass rapidly at the beginning of scalding and fewer bacteria are removed from carcasses during the final stage of scalding. Sampling water from an industrial multiple-tank scalder indicated that numbers of pathogens and indicator bacteria are sharply reduced in the last tank of a three-tank scalder compared to the first tank. Accomplishment 7. Abrasive scraping of chicken carcass skin was tested to determine whether more bacteria could be recovered after sampling a whole carcass rinse procedure, but scraping generally did not increase the recovery of bacteria. Accomplishment 8. Studies were conducted to determine the effects of forced cloacal voiding before scalding on numbers of bacteria recovered from broiler carcasses and scalder water. Accomplishment 9. We surveyed the U.S. poultry industry and found that 28% of broiler and 92% of turkey companies use a cage/truck washing system to reduce cross-contamination. Another study found that levels of aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli, and coliforms on cage flooring could be reduced by 99% using a commercial cage washing system. Accomplishment 10. Studies were conducted to determine the effectiveness of inside-outside bird washers (IOBW) for removing carcass fecal contamination. The first study demonstrated that numbers of total bacteria, E. coli, Campylobacter or Salmonella were not affected by contamination with feces, by cross-contamination during washing, or by altering IOBW pressure. A second study showed that fecal contamination on the skin resulted in higher numbers of bacteria on washed carcasses than fecal contamination in the body cavity. Accomplishment 11. Antimicrobial properties of nisin increased with increasing concentrations. The optimum usage level was 0.5%. Rosemary extract and EDTA exhibited limited antilisterial effects when applied alone or in combination with nisin. Accomplishment 12. Studies were conducted to determine if lowering scalder temperatures, while concomitantly adding a santizer, was able to result in a significant yield increase while maintaining proper pick and sanitizing the carcasses. This study was a success and, under the close supervision of the corporate statistician, achieved a 0.75 to 2.5% yield increase after chilling. This yield increase is due to fat that remains under the skin, rather than being cooked out of the skin during scalding. Moreover, using this technique, less fat ends up in the chiller, less breast striping occurs, and the chickens are microbiologically superior to other chickens at pre-OLR location (about a 2.0 log10 difference in APC and E. coli). Accomplishment 13. The effects on the microbiological condition of product of carcass dressing, cooling, and portioning processes at a poultry packing plant. The log mean numbers of aerobes, coliforms, Escherichia coli and presumptive staphylococci plus listerias on chicken carcasses and portions at various stages of processing at a poultry packing plant were estimated from the numbers of those bacteria recovered from groups of 25 randomly selected product units. The fractions of listerias in the staphylococci/listerias groups were also estimated. Samples were obtained from carcasses by excising strips of skin measuring approximately 5 x 2 cm2 from randomly selected sites on carcasses, or by rinsing each carcass portion. The log mean numbers of aerobes, coliforms, E. coli and staphylococci/listerias on carcasses after scalding at 58°C and plucking were about 4.4, 2.5, 2.2 and 1.4 log cfu/cm2, respectively. The numbers of bacteria on eviscerated carcasses were similar. After the series of operations for removing the crop, lungs, kidneys and neck, the numbers of aerobes were about 1 log unit less than on eviscerated carcasses, but the numbers of the other bacteria were not substantially reduced. After cooling in water, the numbers of coliforms and E. coli were about 1 log unit less and the numbers of staphylococci/listerias were about 0.5 log unit less than the numbers on dressed carcasses, but the numbers of aerobes were not reduced. The numbers of aerobes were 1 log unit more on boneless breasts, and 0.5 log units more on skin-on thighs and breasts that had been tumbled with brine than on cooled carcasses; and staphylococci/listerias were 0.5 log unit more on thighs than on cooled carcasses. Otherwise the numbers of bacteria on the product were not substantially affected by processing. Listerias were <20% of the staphylococci/listerias group of organisms recovered from product at each stage of processing except after breasts were tumbled with brine, when >40% of the organisms were listerias. OBJECTIVE 2. Poultry Meat Quality Accomplishment 1. Several aspects of live production were investigated on their subsequent effects to the carcass and meat. Impact of commercial lighting programs and stress response of broilers were assessed. Broiler diets formulated using high levels of soybean meal were evaluated for development of pododermatitis. Early feed restriction used to decrease late mortality was examined for repercussion to fillet yield and quality. Accomplishment 2. A canned turkey product has been successfully produced and evaluated by sensory panelists. The product has been shipped to Gressier and Jeremie, Haiti via private freight (ship carrier) for evaluation. Guelph, Canada: Accomplishment 3. The effect of Malva nut gum (mucilage) addition to poultry breast meat batters formulated with different salt levels (1-3% NaCl) and phosphate (0 and 0.5%) was studied. Increasing the salt level significantly reduced cooking loss and the addition of Malva nut gum (0.2 %) further improved water retention. Malva nut gum improved the textural properties of the cooked batters, particularly with 2% NaCl and phosphate. At all salt levels, batters with Malva nut gum showed significantly lower cooking loss than batters without the gum. Malva nut gum and phosphate addition resulted in more stable batters, as was evident by cook loss results and light microscopy. Overall, the study indicated the potential use of Malva nut gum in improving yield and texture of meat products. OBJECTIVE 3. Egg Quality and Safety Accomplishment 1. Salmonella Enteritidis has been associated with eggs and egg products. An array of consumer preparation procedures were evaluated on their ability to render contaminated products safe to eat. Methods chosen were hard and soft cooked, scrambled, over-easy, sunny-side-up, and pan poached as defined by the American Egg Board. Accomplishment 2. During the hearings on the Egg Safety Action Plan in Washington, DC, many questions were raised concerning the egg temperature (T) patterns used in the risk assessment model. Therefore, a national study was initiated to determine the T of eggs from oviposition through distribution. In Part-1 researchers from Extension and USDA-ARS, in CA, CT, GA, IA, IL, NC, PA and TX gathered data on internal and surface egg T from commercial egg production facilities. An infrared thermometer was used to rapidly measure egg surface T, and interior T was determined by probing individual eggs. The main effects were; geographic region (state), and season evaluated in a factorial design. Egg T data was recorded at specific locations in the production facilities in order to standardize the comparisons. Regression analysis (P < 0.0001) showed the R square (0.952) between infrared egg surface T and interior T was very high and validated further use of the infrared thermometer. Hen house egg surface and interior T were significantly influenced by state, season, and the state*season interaction (P < 0.0001). Mean egg surface T was 27.3a and 23.8b C for summer and winter, respectively, with 29.2a and 26.2b C for egg interior (P < 0.0001). Hen house eggs from CA had the lowest surface and interior T in winter among all the states (P < 0.0001) while the highest egg surface T were recorded during summer in NC, GA and TX, and the highest interior T from TX and GA compared to the other states. Cooling of warm eggs following oviposition was significantly influenced by season, state and the interaction. Egg internal T when ¾ cool was higher in summer vs. winter and higher in NC and PA compared to IA. The time required to ¾ cool eggs was greater in winter (because of greater T change) than summer and greater in IA compared to other states. These findings clearly showed seasonal and state impacts on ambient T in the hen house that ultimately influenced egg surface and interior T. More importantly, they show opportunities to influence cooling rate to improve interior and microbial egg quality. Accomplishment 3. The Egg Safety Action Plan released in 1999 raised many questions concerning egg temperature used in the risk assessment model. Therefore, a national study by researchers from CA, CT, GA, IA, IL, NC, PA, and TX was initiated to determine the internal and external temperature sequence of eggs from oviposition through distribution. Researchers gathered data from commercial egg production, processing and distribution facilities. The experimental design was a mixed model with two random effects for season and geographic region, and a fixed effect for operation type (in-line or off-line). For this report, internal and external egg temperature data were recorded at specific points during processing in order to standardize the comparisons during the winter and summer months (accumulator, post-wash, post-candling, packer head, and post-processing cooler, and geographic locations). In addition, internal egg temperatures were recorded in pre- and post-processing cooler areas. Thus, this is a summary of data obtained in processing plants. There was a significant season by geographic region interaction (P < 0.05) noted for both surface and internal egg temperatures. In general for all states, surface and internal egg temperature trends followed one another at the various processing plant locations sampled in the summer and winter. As expected, winter egg temperatures were lower than in summer, but for the most part eggs gained in temperature going from the accumulator to the post-processing cooler. During all phases of processing summer egg surface and internal temperatures were greater (P < 0.05) than during the winter. When examining the effect of processing time and conditions, it was found that 2.4, 3.8, 3.3, and 6.0°C were added to egg surface and internal temperatures in the summer and winter, respectively. Internal egg temperatures were higher (P < 0.05) in the pre-processing cooler area during the summer vs. winter months and internal egg temperatures were higher (P 0.05) in the summer when eggs were considered to be ¾ cool in the post-processing area. However, the cooling rate was not different (P > 0.05) for eggs in the post-processing cooler area in the summer vs. winter. Therefore, these data suggest that the season of year and geographic location can affect the temperature of eggs during processing and should be a component in future assessments of egg safety. Accomplishment 4. Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) infection in humans has been chiefly attributed to the consumption of raw or undercooked eggs or egg products. Risk Assessment has shown that SE prevalence in the table egg supply in the United States is approximately 1 in 20,000 eggs. The objective of this study was to determine if increasing hen age influenced the total microflora counts or the prevalence of Salmonella spp. on the egg shell surface, within the shell, or in the contents. Eggs from Hy-Line W-98 and Bovans White layer strains were sampled approximately every 28 days from 17 to 66 wk of age from the 35th North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Test. The layers were managed under identical husbandry practices. This study utilized 45 eggs per hen population for a total of 90 eggs per period. Five replicates from each strain were represented within the samples, with the same hens being sampled each period. Pooled sets of 9 eggs were used for each strain. The exterior, interior shell, and contents were spiral plated on Plate Count Agar (PCA) to calculate the total aerobic counts. After a 24 hr pre-enrichment, 0.01 mL of sample was added to Rappaport-Vassiliadis (RV) enrichment broth. After an additional 24 hr enrichment, 0.01 of the RV enrichment was plated on Brilliant Green Sulfapyridine (BGS) agar and evaluated for the presence of Salmonella spp. There were 120 total egg pools taken, and of these there was one positive Salmonella sample for exterior and one for interior. For this study, essentially all eggs produced by the two strains were tested. Sampling of the egg began with rinsing the exterior shell to collect any microorganisms that may have adhered to the surface. The pooled rinsate from the shell egg surface accounted for the exterior counts. The sampling of the interior shell included the shell membranes and matrix, as well as the sterilized exterior portion of the shell. Contents sampling included both the yolk and albumen components, as well as the chalazae. Hen age significantly (P<0.05) affected the microbial loads on each of the egg components tested. Exterior counts increased in period 4. Interior counts were erratic (P<0.05), increasing as much as 2 log units over the 12-month cycle. Contents data was not significantly different (P<0.05) until period 12, when microbial loads increased from 0 to 1 log unit. Accomplishment 5. The production, egg sizes, quality, and functionality of the commercially available layer strains vary with respect to the specific strain examined, yet few studies continuously document these differences. In this study, 1 brown egg strains (BES) will be equally represented and housed at a density of 413 cm2 in cages or 67 ft2/hen on range. The BES feeding programs will be the same in order to meet the nutritional needs of the two different groups. This will be examining the hens through a single 80 wk cycle. The remaining husbandry practices were the same for each group and identical to those used in the 37th North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Test. Every quarter from 17 through 80 wk egg samples from the previous 24 h will be collected from each replicate. The eggs will be weighed and graded in accordance with USDA standards for shell eggs. Haugh units and other internal quality measurements taken on egg samples collected. Currently we know that the hens had to be reared on the range in order to learn the function and utilization of the equipment prior to the onset of production. The age at first egg was reduced in the flock mates which were placed on the range due to the lack of light control.

Publications

Publications Attachment:

Attachment

Impact Statements

OBJECTIVE 1. Poultry Meat Safety. Attachment of Listeria to processing plant stainless steel varies with initial finish and welding procedure; therefore, improved design in manufacture is possible. Providing acidified sodium chlorite in the drinking water prior to and during feed withdrawal can significantly reduce Salmonella survival in the upper digestive tract; however, no effects were detected on Campylobacter. Dietary vitamin U has promise as an inhibitor Salmonella in the broilers Intestine. Clean out of the farm should include in-house composting, as food pathogens can be eliminated in this process. However, C. perfringens was a consistent survivor. Cleaning of transport crates is an effective means to reduce broiler exposure of pathogens prior to processing, particularly C. perfringens. Marinades and varying post-process chilling treatments based on lemon extract are of limited value in reducing pre-existing Campylobacter jejuni.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. A critical control point for the entry of Salmonella into the poultry industry has been shown to be breeder flocks and hatcheries. Effective chemical treatment of eggs will reduce Salmonella in the growout houses and ultimately the processing plant and the consumer. Evaluation of new generation chemicals such as polymers to which any chemical or assortment of chemicals can be attached give us a chance to succeed where we previously could not.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. Campylobacter is not tolerant of dry conditions and many poultry-associated samples have relatively low water activity levels, plus the cultural methods for isolating this microorganism are still under development. Whenever microbiologists are unable to culture Campylobacter, they say that the organism is not present. Therefore, by improving cultural methods plus demonstrating with chick bioassays that Campylobacter are present but non-culturable, the poultry industry can test whether this microorganism is present in previously overlooked niches.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. Both chilling methods (dry and immersion) reduced numbers of Escherichia coli, coliforms and Campylobacter recovered from carcasses by 90%. Chilling method did not affect prevalence (number positive) of carcass Campylobacter or Salmonella. Despite recurring enthusiasm for air chilling, data showed that dry air chilling and immersion chilling produce similar reductions in carcass bacteria.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. Multiple-tank scalders may reduce cross-contamination of bacteria during scalding.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. Projects have demonstrated that assumptions about numbers of bacteria on carcasses must be considered in terms of sampling methods, because attachment of bacteria to carcasses is not completely understood.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. Forcing carcasses to void intestinal contents followed immediately by washing did not increase the numbers of bacteria recovered from skin, but it did reduce the amount of feces deposited in the scalder.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. Many companies are washing transport equipment to reduce numbers of bacteria, but washing does not completely eliminate bacteria on flooring surfaces.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. Many studies have reported different efficacy of carcass washing to reduce numbers of bacteria. Understanding the complexities of washing and effects on carcass bacteria should increase the effectiveness of washing.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. Use of the sanitizer in the scalder allowed for the plant to reduce the scalder temperatures, allowed the plant to back the pickers further from the birds (because of easy feather release), dramatically reduced breast striping, reduced the amount of fat in the chiller (allowing chlorine to do a better job) and most importantly, increased the final product yield by 1 to 2.5%. This equates to a $10,000 to $25,000/day increase in yield. Thus, using this approach, a mere 1% increase in yield would result in an increase in profit of $2,400,000 to $6,000,000 per year. These figures are actual savings from in-plant studies.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. Dipping fully-cooked chicken inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes in an all-natural sanitizer resulted in reductions of 3.36, 4.88, and 3.56 log10 after 14 days of storage, when compared to water dipped controls for Reps 1, 2, and 3, respectively. These data are extremely encouraging and suggest that if this method is appropriate and can be employed for this type of product without adversely affecting the product appearance or weight, it would be a very effective means of preventing the growth of Listeria on cooked chicken during refrigeration. This sanitizer may significantly lower the risk processors incur with regard to USDA-FSIS regulations, may assist processors in preventing costly recalls, and reduce food-borne illness.
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. These studies will have significant economic impact on the poultry industry and provide an additional safety barrier for the consuming public. The results of this study will reveal potential anti-listerial hurdles for ready-to-eat poultry using natural ingredients
OBJECTIVE 1: Poultry Meat Safety. Studies demonstrated that efforts to control Salmonella in the processing plant cannot focus exclusively on the intestinal tract.
OBJECTIVE 2: Poultry Meat Quality. Light treatments that alter broiler live performance do not result in a long-term stress response. Feed enzymes targeting non-starch polysaccharides in soybean meal reduced fecal viscosity to indirectly alleviate pododermatitis. Fillets exhibiting reduced yielded during the broilers recovery from early feed restriction exhibit decreased width and depth but not altered length, whereas weep loss and light reflectance are minimally altered.
OBJECTIVE 2: Poultry Meat Quality. Religious slaughter is poorly understood by consumers and the scientific community. Much of the research literature in this area does not meet the basic scientific standard of providing enough information. The Cornell Kosher and Halal Food Initiative sorts through religious and scientific issues. Religious slaughter is a fundamental requirement for people of both the Jewish and Muslim faiths. Slaughter must be done humanely. The rest of society must assure the best animal welfare.
OBJECTIVE 2: Poultry Meat Quality. This research will have significant economic and health impacts on Haiti and other under developed countries, as well as developed countries.
OBJECTIVE 3: Egg Quality and Safety. Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Heidelberg were effectively minimized with hard cooked, soft cooked, and poaching methods. Over-easy, scrambled and poaching led to variable but low recoveries to be considered reasonably safe. Sunny-side-up eggs provided more extensive recoveries and considered to be unsafe.
OBJECTIVE 3: Egg Quality and Safety. The NCLP&MT reports are sent to all the producers in North Carolina and an additional 250 reports are sent to producers and industry representatives throughout the US and 23 different countries. The primary breeders, egg producers, and egg breaking companies are utilizing the test in increasing intensity to compare and evaluate the impact of strain, environment, and management have on the egg solids, functionality, and safety. This can lead to a shift in layer strain purchases and management in production facilities on the part of the breaking companies to enhance their product properties thereby enhancing sales to egg product purchasers.
OBJECTIVE 3: Egg Quality and Safety. The solids components in liquid egg products are very important for the Liquid Egg Products Industry in order to satisfy their customer requirements for functional properties. If solids are influenced by strain, or age of the hens producing the eggs they need to understand these influences which will enable them to constantly blend a uniform product. These studies are the first examining the egg products in this manner.
OBJECTIVE 3: Egg Quality and Safety. The strains are under continuous selection for improved production and egg quality. Therefore, as each NCLP&MT is developed the influence of strain effects must be evaluated in order to keep producers informed of genetic changes.
OBJECTIVE 3: Egg Quality and Safety. The National Egg Products School provides breaking plant personnel quality assurance supervisors, and middle management within the egg breaking industry current information on what constitutes egg product quality, how to measure it, and important issues facing the egg industry in the region.
OBJECTIVE 3: Egg Quality and Safety: Students from numerous states, U.S. territory, and internationally have joined more than 5,670 alumni from around the world who have attended this school over the past 77 years. This school continues its emphasis on the preservation of shell egg quality and ensuring that consumers today are purchasing the highest quality product. In addition, emerging issues of microbial quality, food safety, and HACCP plan development are topics important to the industry and are included in the school. One goal of the school is to bring in food handlers from across the country and introduce them to egg quality and how to preserve it.

Date of Annual Report: 04/06/2009

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 01/29/2009 - 01/29/2009
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2007 - 09/01/2008

Participants

Curtis, Patricia(Pat_Curtis@auburn.edu),Alabama; Moran, Jr., Ed (emoran@acesag.auburn.edu), Alabama; Buhr, Jeff (jeff.buhr@ ars.usda.gov), ARS/USDA; Cason, John (john.cason@ars.usda.gov), ARS/USDA; Smith, Doug (douglas.smith@ars.usda.gov), ARS/USDA; Acton, James (jcacton@clemson.edu), South Carolina; Anderson, Ken (ken_anderson@ncsu.edu), North Carolina; Arritt, Fletcher (fletcher_arritt@ncsu.edu), North Carolina; Barbut, Shai (sbarbut@uoguelph.ca), University Guelph; Dawson, Paul (pdawson@clemson.edu), South Carolina; Owens, Casey (cmowens@uark.edu), Arkansas; Russell, Scott (srussell@uga.edu), Georgia; Singh, Manpreet (mzs0004@auburn.edu), Alabama; Arthur Hinton (arthur.hinton@ars.usda.gov), ARS/USDA; Deana R. Jones (deana.jones@ars.usda.gov), ARS/USDA; Michael T. Musgrove (mike.musgrove@ars.usda.gov), ARS/USDA; Julie K. Northcutt(jknorth@clemson.edu); Sally K. Williams (Williams@animal.ufl.edu), Florida.

Brief Summary of Minutes

January 29, 2009
The meeting was called to order at 8:30 am by current chair Dr. Scott Russell.
The meeting was very abbreviated as the group was scheduled to have the room for only 2 hours. This meeting was to be a makeup meeting for the missed meeting in October. The original meeting that was scheduled for October 2008 at Texas A&M had to be cancelled due to the severe impact of the economy on academic budgets across the U.S. and Canada. The University of Georgia enacted a complete travel moratorium and was not allowing any faculty to travel for any reason, even if no expense to the university was incurred. Other universities were experiencing similar dramatic budget cuts. As a result, the S-1027 group meeting had to be rescheduled to coincide with the annual U.S. Poultry and Egg Association meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. The only time available for a room to meet was from 8:00-10:00 am. Thus, no time was available for presentation of research accomplishments. However, Dr. Russell requested that the station leaders provide annual reports that could be summarized for this annual report. The following is a summary of those accomplishments. The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 am.

Accomplishments

OBJECTIVE 1. Poultry Meat Safety Accomplishment 1. Turkey hams were cut into 0.5 cm pieces, inoculated with a L. monocytogenes cocktail containing five strains of the bacterium, and treated with either no treatment and no inoculum (negative control), inoculum only (positive control), nisin alone and in combination with EDTA and/or rosemary spice. All samples were vacuum packaged, stored for 63 days at 4 °C ± 1° and analyzed at one week intervals for total aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, L. monocytogenes, lactic acid organisms and pH. Nisin, nisin with rosemary, nisin with EDTA and nisin with rosemary and EDTA treatments reduced (P < 0.05) L. monocytogenes counts significantly when compared to the positive control on Day 0. L. monocytogenes counts remained less than 2.75 log cfu/g for ham treated with nisin through 63 days storage. Although none of the treatments completely eliminated L. monocytogenes, the results indicated that ready-to-eat turkey ham will have significantly fewer L. monocytogenes (at least 4 log cfu/gram reductions) when treated with nisin alone or in combination with rosemary and/or EDTA. Accomplishment 2. The canned turkey product has been successfully formulated and produced. Researchers completed commercial plant evaluation and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point program for the product. Researchers collaborated with a West Virginia commercial plant to produce the product in large quantities for shipment to Haiti on a bimonthly basis. Quantities of at least one ton of the canned product will be shipped to Haiti on a bimonthly basis for distribution to villages in Jeremie, Haiti, and local schools in Gressier, Haiti. Accomplishment 3. In a poultry processing line there are a number of opportunities for cross-contamination and increase the risk of salmonellosis. The surviving bacteria stay on the surface of the carcass or may penetrate into the skin or muscle during storage, tumbling, brine injection or needle tenderization. Tumbling of meat pieces involves agitation of the meat in brine placed within a large rotating drum, which can also lead to structural changes in the outer layer of the meat. This may allow the brine and any bacteria present in the brine access to the interior of the muscle tissue. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of two common processes used to produce brine-added meat products, on the penetration of a bioluminescent strain of Salmonella Enteriditis into the interior of whole chicken fillets. Overall, slow tumbling, up to 30 min, resulted in the introduction of bacteria into the muscle interior at every time period measured and at a higher frequency than marination alone (samples placed in brine; manually turned every few min). After 5 and 10 min of tumbling, bacteria penetrated into the muscle in two third of fillets compared to a quarter for fillets that were only marinated. The frequency of penetration was greatest after 20 min for the marinated meats, and after 30 min for the tumbled chicken breasts. Accomplishment 4. Concrete represents significant exposure in the processing plant. Studies were conducted in which the surfaces of concrete in a poultry processing facility were sealed using a Biosealing process and the efficacy at preventing colonization and biofilm accrual was determined. Accomplishment 5. Research was conducted to validate the effectiveness of a commercial NaOH product to increase scalder pH and decrease Salmonella in the poultry scalder. Accomplishment 6. Low pH marinades impair Listeria development in skinless boneless meats. Research was conducted to validate the effectiveness of sodium/potassium lactate, sodium citrate, and sodium diacetate (alone or in combination) in further processed turkey loaves, turkey deli loaves and hams. Accomplishment 7. Vitamin U (S-Methylmethionine) was administered at varying levels in broiler feeds to determine if it inhibited the colonization and shedding of Salmonella Typhimurium. Accomplishment 8. In-house composting was evaluated to determine it efficacy in eliminating or reducing different species (subspecies) of Salmonella, Campylobacter and Clostridium from surviving in the litter. Accomplishment 9. Determined that intermittently stepping on drag swabs while sampling litter in broiler houses improves the incidence of Salmonella detection by 20% (reduction in false negative samples), when Salmonella is present, by providing greater contact with the litter without an increase in cost or sample collection time. Accomplishment 10. Darkling beetles are a common insect pest of broiler facilities and commercial farms can suffer significant financial losses due to high population density of the darkling beetle. In addition to structural damage, pest control costs, and decreased feed conversion efficiency, losses may center on the ability of darkling beetles to transmit pathogens to the flock. Accomplishment 11. Determined that in commercial flocks Campylobacter spp. are naturally present in the reproductive and lymphoid systems of both female and male broiler breeders, as well as caged Leghorn hens. Most important, Campylobacter spp. are naturally present in the circulating blood of commercial broilers upon arrival at the processing plant. Accomplishment 12. Discovered a Campylobacter coli strain that is resistant to high levels of the antibiotic gentamicin while screening Campylobacter strains obtained from commercial poultry carcass rinses. Both the colonization ability of this C. coli strain in broilers and the effectiveness of the incorporation of gentamicin into plating media on restricting the growth of background microflora and naturally occurring Campylobacter spp. were demonstrated. Accomplishment 13. Discovered that washing whole broiler carcasses in solutions of bactericidal surfactants will reduce contamination of the carcasses by pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. Our studies have shown that washing carcasses solutions of alkaline salts of naturally occurring fatty acids can significantly reduce microbial contamination of broiler skin and carcasses. The fatty acid solutions decrease contamination by killing microorganisms and washing them away from surfaces. Accomplishment 14. Completed a comprehensive study that examined external and internal contamination of broiler chickens. These are the first studies to systematically examine which parts of the carcass of broiler chickens are associated with contamination by pathogenic, indicator, and spoilage bacteria. One pathogen, Campylobacter, was found mainly on internal samples, but another pathogen, Salmonella, was recovered from all sampling locations. Findings of these experiments indicate that the pattern of bacterial contamination before processing is complex and highly variable. Accomplishment 15. Demonstrated that immersion scalder tanks may serve as a significant source of cross contamination of broiler carcasses during processing. Samples taken from the scalder water, foam layer of the water, and carcasses exiting the immersion scalders at a commercial poultry processing facility were analyzed for microbial contamination.. Accomplishment 16. Demonstrated that water used in immersion chill tank systems can be recycled without causing a significant increases in the number of enteric bacteria in the water or on carcasses. During chilling, most bacterial populations decreased in all samples; however, there was no change in the number of Salmonella recovered from carcasses after chilling. Accomplishment 17. Determined that acidic electrolyzed (EO) water can be used to kill microorganisms associated with poultry processing. In vitro tests performed using bacteria and yeast associated with poultry processing indicated that EO water possessed bactericidal and fungicidal properties. Other experiments were conducted that used inside-outside bird carcass washers to wash whole broiler carcasses with EO water or chlorine solutions. These experiments indicated that EO water was as effective as traditional chlorine solutions in reducing carcass contamination. Accomplishment 18. Completed studies that showed that there was no difference in the level of bacteria contamination of broiler carcasses chilled in dry air or in traditional immersion chillers. Results showed that both chilling methods reduced bacterial contamination by 90% and that the percentage of carcasses contaminated by pathogens was similar for both methods was not reduced by either chilling method. Accomplishment 19. Demonstrated that numbers of pathogenic and indicator bacteria are reduced in the last tank of a three-tank, counter flow scalder when compared to the first tank of a commercial multiple-tank scalder. Enumeration of bacteria in the scald water and on carcasses indicated that most bacteria were recovered from water and carcasses taken from the first tank and that the level of contamination decreased through subsequent tanks. Accomplishment 20. Conducted a collaborative study to examine the microbiological quality of broiler carcasses processed in plants under the HACCP inspection model program (HIMP) of FSIS inspection. Accomplishment 21. Several thousand Campylobacter previously collected from broiler carcasses in 20 US broiler processing plants were subtyped by DNA sequence methodology. These data show that the population of Campylobacter on broiler carcasses becomes less diverse as the carcass proceeds through processing plant. Some subtypes of Campylobacter seem to be better suited than others to survive the stresses associated with poultry processing environments. Accomplishment 22. Completed a study to measure the antimicrobial resistance of L. monocytogenes isolates detected in a poultry further processing facility. This large group of isolates is unique because it had been collected over a year long study in a commercial plant. Most of the L. monocytogenes isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobials. However, some were resistant to ceftriaxone, oxacillin, ciprofloxacin, clindamicin, tetracycline or some combination of these. Accomplishment 23. The drug resistance and type of plasmids in a panel of Salmonella strains was characterized and apparent evolutionary traits were analyzed to trace possible patterns of exchange of antimicrobial resistance genes. Accomplishment 24. Microbiological studies were conducted on a novel chemical that may be used in a post-chill dip or spray system to assess if the chemical could decrease Salmonella prevalence post-chill (where the USDA-FSIS collects samples). Accomplishment 25. Studies were conducted to evaluate a new method for creating chlorine dioxide in which the chemical may be created off site and transferred to the processing plant, rather than relying upon complex mixtures of unstable solutions that may gas-off, as has been the problem in the past OBJECTIVE 2. Poultry Meat Quality Accomplishment 1. Employing green approaches for broiler production such as coccidial vaccination and feed enzymes to avoid antimicrobial use were examined in terms of live production, skinless boneless meat yield, skeletal strength, and incidence of breast fillet PSE. Accomplishment 2. Impact of commercial lighting programs on live performance, processing yields and stress response of broilers were examined to address welfare concerns. OBJECTIVE 3. Egg Quality and Safety Accomplishment 1. Studies were conducted to determine the effects of the production environment and forage nutrition on pathogens in the environment and in relation to the egg. Influence of grain and forage type fiber content on Salmonella colonization and shedding in laying hens fed a corn-soybean meal diet (NCLP&MT) was evaluated. The effects of range egg production on total aerobic microorganisms and Enterobacteriaceae populations as well as the prevalence of Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter on the shell and in the egg contents was determined. Environmental microbial contamination was also monitored. The free range flock was maintained for 80 wks, along with the direct comparison caged production. The research was a collaborative effort of NCSU, USDA ARS and Auburn. Accomplishment 2. Studies were conducted to determine the effects of production environment and forage nutrition on egg quality, functionality and nutritional quality. The effects of hen production (caged vs free range) and forage nutrition (solely corn-soybean meal diet vs commercial diet plus range grass/grain) was compared for the effects on egg production, quality, functionality and nutritional composition. Fat content was greater in the free range eggs. There was also an increase in omega-3 fatty acids. There was no difference in the cholesterol content between the production scenarios. Angel food cake volumes were lower for the free range eggs. The research was a collaborative effort of NCSU, Auburn, Tuskegee and USDA ARS. Accomplishment 3. Studies were conducted to determine the ability of sanitizing compounds to reduce the population of Enterobacter cloaca (most frequently isolated organism in commercial setting) on the surface of inoculated vacuum loader cups. An additional study monitored the physical changes of clean vacuum loader cups when exposed to 20 consecutive applications of the same sanitizing compounds. Accomplishment 4. An extensive study examining the differences in bacterial populations, including human pathogens, associated with the housing environment and eggs from sister flocks of commercial caged egg layers and free range layers was initiated with a university collaborator. The study will be for the 80 week life cycle of the flock. Accomplishment 5. Efforts continued with other ARS scientists to enhance the egg micro-crack detection system. Discussions with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Poultry Programs personnel focused on adjusting the system and software for maximum usability. Demonstrations of the system (including in plant) and a study of 1000 eggs was conducted to compare the effectiveness of the imaging system and trained professional graders. Accomplishment 6. A further study examined the effects of exposure to the micro-crack system on the physical quality of shell eggs during cold storage to determine any adverse effects. Another study was conducted to see if the micro-crack system induced cracking in poor shell quality eggs. Accomplishment 7. Environment of the laying hen is progressively changing from cage to floor and range to accommodate welfare concerns. Reseach was conducted to evaluate the influence of this change on the eggs composition and functional properties. Early results indicated range eggs have darker color and slightly higher fat content. Cage eggs produced higher angel food cake volume. Accomplishment 8. Providing the hen free access to the ground enables microbial access not encountered in cages. Eggs from both sources were examined as to incidence of Salmonella and Campylobacter as to threat from food pathogens. Early results detected only one incidence of Salmonella in the range eggs and none in cage eggs.

Publications

Publications Attachment:

Attachment

Impact Statements

Objective 1: The results of the study on Listeria on turkey hams will have significant economic impact on the poultry industry and provide an additional safety barrier for the consuming public. The results of this study revealed potential anti-Listeria hurdles for ready-to-eat poultry using natural ingredients.
Objective 1: This research on canned turkey product has and continues to have significant economic and health benefits for Haitian families who have no income for providing a protein source for their families. The ability to provide the product in larger quantities has been a major benefit to the Jeremie villagers.
Objective 1: The results of the study on bioluminescent Salmonella illustrate the usefulness of the bioluminescent method to track bacterial migration and compare processes such as tumbling and marinating. This is important to the industry because conventional microbiological techniques use whole sample homogenates, which do not allow following bacteria migration in the range measured in this experiment (1 to 10 mm). This range of penetration is important because it provides protection, inside the meat, to pathogenic bacteria.
Objective 1: Biosealed concrete surface has shown to be effective in minimizing colonization by Salmonella spp. In addition, it was also efficacious at removing pre-existing Salmonella.
Objective 1: A low pH scald additive combined with hard scald temperatures was effective in eliminating Salmonella from the contents. Few antimicrobial treatments efficaciuous for scalder application exist that would be applicable early during poultry processing.
Objective 1: Potassium lactate and its combination with sodium diacetate inhibited Listeria growth over a 12 week storage period at 4 C. However, sensory panels indicated that the potassium lactate and sodium diacetate combination impaired product binding to make it unsatisfactory for commercial use.
Objective 1: Vitamin U inclusion in broiler feed exhibits promise as a gut suppressant of Salmonella in the gut; however, concurrent activity against other species e.g. Clostridium perfringens and Campylobacter spp. is a known quantity.
Objective 1: In-house composting was shown to eliminate all the food pathogens tested except C. perfringens even then its reduction was apparent. Composting to manage adverse microbes is advocated.
Objective 1: Litter sampling methods that incorporate stepping on the sample material (socks, drag swabs, disposable booties) appear to equally detect Salmonella in greater incidence than the traditional sampling methods of dragging swabs over the litter surface. Intermittently stepped on drag swabs were able to recover Salmonella in pens containing a single broiler with positive ceca (out of a pen containing 40 broilers) at six weeks of age.
Objective 1: Research determined that ingestion of only four adult and/or larval beetles that were colonized with Salmonella would result in the colonization of gavaged day-of-age chicks and then this seeder chick would spread Salmonella to non-gavaged pen-mate chicks. Salmonella contamination of the pen environment and pen-mate chicks persisted through growout at six weeks of age. These results stress the importance of darkling beetle control programs in the overall goal to control Salmonella spread within and between broiler flocks.
Objective 1: The genetic relatedness of Campylobacter isolates within a bird was similar by flaA SVR DNA sequencing. However, in the broilers tested, Campylobacter isolates recovered from the blood and ceca determined to be similar by flaA SVR DNA sequencing differed in invasiveness ability into caco-2 cells. Inoculation studies demonstrated that when day-of-age broiler chicks are inoculated (regardless of route oral, cloaca, or eye), the organism rapidly (within 1 hour) disseminates to lymphoid organs and establishes a reservoir. This research significantly adds to the knowledge of Campylobacter ecology in poultry and will enable innovative intervention strategies to be developed.
Objective 1: This C. coli strains unique resistance to high levels of gentamicin now allows for research studies evaluating the ecology of Campylobacter spp. within poultry flocks without regard to the variable presence of natural environmental Campylobacter spp. contamination. In the absence of this marker, expensive and time consuming conformational techniques must be used to determine if the recovered organisms is the same one that was inoculated. Scientists at the University of Georgia and Clemson University are using this marker and other researchers have requested the culture.
Objective 1: The development and utilization of these alternative sanitizers may open new markets for poultry processors in the U. S.
Objective 1: These results provide vital information that can be used by to poultry processors and regulatory agencies to establish protocols for handling and sampling broiler carcasses during processing.
Objective 1: Results indicated that large numbers of intestinal bacteria, including Escherichia coli and Salmonella, can be isolated from scald tank water, tank foam layer, and carcasses taken from the tanks. Understanding the bacterial ecology of the scalder will assist in developing intervention strategies that can be used to reduce cross contamination during processing.
Objective 1: Chilling systems that can use recycled water and maintain food safety goals of processing can play an important role in conserving water during poultry processing.
Objective 1: Since EO water can be prepared onsite at processing facilities, the use of this sanitizer by poultry processors would eliminate the need for storing potentially hazardous quantities of chlorine on the premises.
Objective 1: These experiments provided processors with data that can be used when facilities are deciding which type of chilling method would be used in new or renovated facilities.
Objective 1: These studies validated the investment that companies had made when they change from single tanks to multiple-tank, counter flow scalders.
Objective 1: These data will be useful in evaluating HIMP plants and may help regulators in future decisions relative to inspection system implementation.
Objective 1: This finding is potentially very useful in ongoing efforts to determine which characteristics may allow Campylobacter to survive or thrive in the poultry processing ecosystem.
Objective 1: The data are useful to scientists attempting to determine the importance of L. monocytogenes in processing plants and tracking the acquisition of drug resistance in such bacteria.
Objective 1: The results indicated that most antibiotic resistance strains probably originated long before modern uses of drugs, so current control methods need to focus on the potential of existing types of strains to spread.
Objective 1: Data and reports were submitted to USDA-FSIS proving the efficacy and safety of this chemical, which resulted in subsequent approval for use by FDA and USDA. Implementation of this technology in a commercial poultry plant resulted in elimination of Salmonella on carcasses. In a testing series of 51 carcasses, USDA-FSIS reported zero carcasses were positive for Salmonella.
Objective 1: Research data and reports were submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and USDA-FSIS proving the efficacy and safety of this chemical, which resulted in subsequent approval for use by FDA and USDA. This technology has been implemented in processing plants and has been shown to be stable and effective, without gassing-off.
Objective 2: Live performance can largely be recovered from delay in growth from coccidial vaccination while enzymes augment recovery and enable dietary reductions in ME and phosphorus. L* values from fillet light reflectance failed to reveal any alteration to the extent of PSE.
Objective 2: Light intensity during the rearing of broilers is less of an influence than its duration. Decreasing length beyond 16 hours generally has an adverse effect on breast meat yield that would not be apparent from live performance or welfare based on serum corticosterone.
Objective 3: Assess application technologies and techniques for processing facility sanitation compounds: Vacuum loader cups in shell egg processing facilities have been identified as reservoirs of bacterial populations. Five sanitizing compounds were compared for their ability to reduce bacterial loads. The 200 ppm sodium hypochlorite and 200 ppm calcium hypochlorite reduced bacterial levels to those comparable with the uninoculated controls. Both of these compounds could be easily applied in the processing facility with low potential of harm to employees or processing equipment and are affordable sanitizing options.
Objective 3: Changing from cage to floor had the obvious effect of accentuating yolk yellowness. Also apparent was advantage in angel cake volume using albumen from caged hens.
Objective 3: Incidence of either Salmonella or Campylobacter with eggs was not definitive from hens kept in cages and maintained on the floor.

Date of Annual Report: 01/28/2010

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 07/24/2009 - 07/24/2009
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2008 - 09/01/2009

Participants

Curtis, Patricia; (Pat_Curtis@auburn.edu ) AL; Dawson, Paul (pdawson@clemson.edu ) SC; Northcutt, Julie (jknorth@clemson.edu) SC; Russell, Scott (srussell@uga.edu ) GA; Acton, James (jcacton@clemson.edu ) SC; Smith, Doug (doug.smith@ncsu.edu ) NC; Keener, Kevin (kkeener@purdue.edu ) IN; McKee, Shelly (mckeesr@auburn.edu) AL; Owens, Casey (cmowens@uark.edu ) AR; Buhr, Jeff (jeff.buhr@ars.usda.gov ) ARS/USDA; Cox, Nelson (nelson.cox@ars.usda.gov ) ARS/USDA.

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes of July 24, 2009 meeting not available.

Accomplishments

1) Poultry Meat Safety USDA-ARS (GA) determined that bacterial contamination of processed poultry can be reduced by successive washings mixtures of potassium hydroxide and lauric acid. They also determined the presence of Campylobacter spp. in the reproductive tract, lymphoid organs, liver/gallbladder and ceca of commercial Leghorn laying hens, the species of Campylobacter present, and the antibiotic resistance patterns of the Campylobacter isolates. An isolated a marker Campylobacter coli strain resistant to gentamicin through antibiotic screening of 2,073 poultry carcass rinse isolates. FSIS (carcass rinse) and EU (neck skin sample) methods for carcass sampling were compared for Salmonella prevalence detection and found to be comparable. A quail embryo bioassay to detect biologically active botulinum toxin serotype A (BoNT/A) was developed. The LD50 for day 15 quail embryos is approximately 0.2 ng BoNT/embryo (28 ¼g BoNT/kg of body weight). Injection of day 15 quail embryos with BoNT restricted aircell and eggshell pipping initiating morbidity and nonviable status enabling preemptive euthanasia. Canada reported work on bioluminescent strain of Salmonella into tumbled chicken breast meat. Florida and USDA-ARS (GA) used nisin, rosemary and EDTA to slow the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on ready- to-eat turkey ham stored at 4°C for 63 days. All nisin treatments resulted in at least 3.73 log cfu/g reductions in Listeria monocytogenes. EDTA and rosemary treatments alone and in combination had limited inhibition properties on L. monocytogenes. EDTA treatments resulted in significant reductions (P < 0.05) in lactic acid organisms during storage. Turkey ham treated with EDTA alone or in combination with nisin and/or rosemary had higher pH values than all other treatments by day. Indiana has developed an in-package ozonation process at Purdue University which can produce bacteria killing molecules (ozone, nitrous oxide, hydrogen peroxide) inside a sealed package. This process requires minimal energy (30-40 W) and produces no heat. Joint research at Purdue and Clemson is (SC) underway treating poultry meat and food contact surfaces with this technology. South Carolina is studying freeze-thaw inactivation of Listeria on RTE meats. The surface freezing rate in-package pasteurization was determined for bologna. When using freeze/thaw cycles of 11/3 s, respectively, the difference between 1 and 3, as well as 1 and 5 cycles, was significant. The bacterial reduction with 3 and 5 cycles did not differ. Likewise, the differences between 1, 3 and 5 cycles in the second experiment (Table 2) were all significant. However, none of the reductions was greater than 1 log, which is not useful from a practical standpoint. The maximum log reduction was 0.72 when using 5 cycles, 55 s for freezing, and 15 s for thawing. Figure 1 shows that, in general, log reductions using 55 and 15 s are greater than the ones obtained with 11 and 3 s of freezing and thawing, respectively. These results, though not of practical significance, indicate that longer and/or additional freeze/thaw cycles may have greater reductions having practical significance. 2) Poultry Meat Quality Wisconsin has elucidated mechanisms by which lipid oxidation occurs in various muscle food-based systems including those from poultry meat. We have determined the efficacy of various antioxidant strategies as well as elucidated mechanisms by which antioxidants function in muscle foods. A method to non-invasively measure lipid oxidation products was also described. Studies were conducted to determine the effect of salt addition and storage time on the generation of the pink color defect in uncured, cooked, ground turkey. Results found that early salt addition and storage prior to heat processing increased redness. A model was developed to test naturally occurring pink color in contrast to inducing a pink color as a means to test various non-pink generating ligands to control the pink defect. Turkey breast trim from different anatomical locations was collected and characterized to determine if location influenced the pink color generation. Location did not influence the presence of the pink defect. Georgia found organically produced carcasses were spoiled at their sell-by date with a spoilage bacterial count of >8 log10 cfu/mL. Chickens reared without antibiotics on all vegetable diets produced carcasses with significantly higher (P=0.026) E. coli counts (average of 1.76); however, these carcasses also had the lowest average APCs (average 5.99). It is possible that, because no antibiotics were used during growout, the potential for E. coli infections that cause air sacculitis and inflammatory process (IP) in these groups is increased. Interestingly, the chickens reared free range, organically with no antibiotics had significantly higher (P=0.0065) spoilage bacterial counts (8.32), but EC were fairly low (0.76). Georgia also studied breast striations and narrowed down the cause to a lack of vitamins and minerals during the last two weeks of growout, or hypertrophic growth of the breast muscles. This research is essential because companies in Brazil have already had product rejected due to this condition. Canada investigated the effects of non-meat proteins on improving the texture of poultry meat products and ways to reduce the impact of PSE meat during further processing. California used tomato pomace as a feed for poultry because prior results indicated that ±-tocopherol (vitamin E) in this agricultural byproduct could prevent lipid deterioration in processed, cooked, and/or stored broiler meat products. Tomato pomace, waste from processing, is composed of peels, cores, cull, trimmings, seeds, liquor and unprocessed green fruit. Along with ±-tocopherol, pomace contains cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, detrimental to feed conversion ratios for broilers. Thus, work was conducted to find ways to biodegrade complex carbohydrates in pomace with the white rot and nontoxic fungus, Pleurotus ostreatus, while retaining ±-tocopherol. Results showed that greater than 50% of the antioxidant was retained in pomace after sterilization and treatment with P. ostreatus. In another study, tomato pomace was amended without and with 487¼M Mn/g substrate followed by treatment with the fungus. In treated substrate without Mn, cellulose and hemicellulose were reduced; but lignin was not. Mn inhibited fungal growth and did not degrade lignin. It was important to know if Mn affected the O2 consumption rate and CO2 evolution rate of P. ostreatus. Results indicated that Mn at the level used did not delay peak and cumulative CO2 rates; however, it probably reduced the metabolic activity of P. ostreatus. Future research on the use of treated tomato pomace as an ingredient in diets and source of ±-tocopherol in poultry meat will examine (1) lower levels of Mn and (2) use of P. ostreatus in conditions with much greater than the 20% oxygen, employed in previous studies. Work will begin to determine the use of tomato pomace as a non-feed removal alternative for laying hens and a source of antioxidants in eggs. Florida evaluated celery powder extract as a natural curing agent alternative in processed poultry products. The storage stability of celery powder extract and a turkey bologna product manufactured with celery powder extract was evaluated. Four products were manufactured containing either 0.2%, 0.3% or 0.4% celery extract or 156 ppm commercial sodium nitrite contained in Modern Cure®. Residual nitrite was significantly higher for the product containing the commercial sodium nitrite blend when compared to all products containing celery powder extract. The L* values were lower and a* values were higher for the product manufactured with commercial sodium nitrite blend when compared to all products containing celery powder extract. Preliminary data has revealed that the anti-botulinal properties of the celery powder at the manufacturers recommended usage level might be minimal when compared to the commercial sodium nitrite blend. All findings reported in this report are preliminary and will be repeated. New York continues to work on issues related to religious slaughter. The main effort is educational with respect to incorporating good animal welfare. South Carolina is evaluating recovery of carnosine from poultry by-products. Chicken brain was found to be the richest source (0.61gm/100gm) of carnosine followed by breast (0.54gm/100gm) and gizzard (0.54gm/100gm), while tail (0.15gm/100gm) was the least available source, and the heart showed no carnosine presence. Metal chelating activity tests showed that head extracts gave 32.29 % metal chelating activity followed by tail 28.77%. Preliminary studies conducted on muscle extracts found metal chelating activity for breast of 32.24% while in thigh, 14.95 % and the results were consistent with previous studies. The total antioxidant activity in the linoleic acid emulsion system (20mM linoleate) to which 11mg/ml of freeze dried extract was added, was 50.4% for breast and 33.1% in thigh, whereas that of pure carnosine was 76% after 48 hours in linoleate emulsion system. Arkansas and Alabama collaborated on the effect of white striping on the histological and meat quality characteristics of broiler fillets. Broiler breast fillets are sometimes characterized grossly by white parallel striations in the direction of the muscle fibers. The present study is intended to evaluate the histological characteristics of this white striping and to assess whether the condition is influencing the meat quality characteristics of the meat. The examination of the histological slides under microscope showed a condition of myopathy with degenerative changes. Males had a greater percentage of meat with white striping compared to females. Strain also impacted the incidence of striping varying from 41 to 72% in this study. Fillets characterized by white striping had higher RTC weights and larger fillets (dimensions). Muscle pH, color, cook loss and MORS energy were not significantly affected by the striping condition. Arkansas evaluated the impact of phase-feeding and strain on meat quality, fillet dimensions, and yield of broilers in small bird or big bird market programs. In the small bird program, diet, strain and gender had little impact on fillet yield. Strain, gender, and debone hour had significant effect on fillet dimensions. Strain and PF treatment did not affect pH, color, cook loss or MORS. In the big bird program, there were no differences in tenderness due to strain at 2 h PM, but differences due to strain were observed at 4 and 6 h PM. There was some variation in color due to strain, but there was no difference in cook loss due to strain at any deboning time. Fillets of males had significantly higher MORS energy (tougher) when deboned at 2, 4, and 6 h PM than those of females. Phase-feeding had little impact on fillet yield or dimensions; however, uniformity was either maintained or improved the incorporation of PF regimen. Strain impacted fillet yield and fillet thickness. Fillet dimensions were affected by deboning time in each trial. Deboning at 2 or 4 h PM resulted in narrower fillets that were also thicker due to sarcomere shortening compared to fillets deboned at 6 h PM. Arkansas evaluated the effect of marination on the tenderness of broiler breast fillets deboned at various times. Overall, marinated fillets had lower cook loss than non-marinated fillets. As deboning time increased, the cook loss significantly decreased in the non-marinated fillets, but there were no differences in cook loss of the marinated fillets due to deboning time. Marination improved tenderness as indicated by the marinated fillets having significantly lower MORS energy values compared to non-marinated fillets at each deboning time. Furthermore, deboning at 2.5 h PM or after followed by marination resulted in similar MORS energy as deboning at 4 or 8 h PM without marination. Arkansas, Alabama and Texas (Texas Tech) collaborated to conduct two industry workshops: Poultry 101 and Poultry 201. Poultry 101 covers the production and processing factors that impact final product quality, safety and consistency. Poultry 201 covers the technical aspects of marination, and batter and breading of poultry products. Both workshops include lectures and hands-on laboratories. Arkanasas, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina, and Texas collaborated on revision of Poultry Meat Processing. The 2nd Edition is currently in press and is a publication of Taylor and Francis/CRC Press. 2) Egg Safety and Quality USDA-ARS (GA) determined that eggs from hens housed in cage and cage-free (all wire slats or shavings) systems all had higher levels of eggshell aerobic bacteria when housed in the same room. However, when all hens were moved to cages without the presence of litter and with manure removal three-time weekly, all eggs were cleaner both before and after washing. Following egg washing there were no significant differences detected in eggshell bacteria levels recovered among the housing systems. USDA-ARS (GA) also determined that eggshell sanitation reduces the level of bacteria recovered from the eggshell surface recovered in a rinse but not the level of bacteria recovered in an eggshell/membranes crush-and-rub rinse. Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas collaborated to deliver the 2008 National Egg Products School was held in November in Auburn, AL. The school offered hands on laboratory experiences to assist participants in understanding the functionality characteristics of egg products. The 2008 school had faculty from Auburn University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Arkansas. The National Egg Products School Advisory board is made up of representatives from industry, trade organizations, government and academia.

Publications

Publications Attachment:

Attachment

Impact Statements

Poultry Meat Safety: The results of this study will have significant economic impact on the poultry industry and provide an additional safety barrier for the consuming public. The results of this study revealed potential anti-Listeria hurdles for ready-to-eat poultry.
Poultry Meat Quality: The use of a natural curing agent could improve the image of cured poultry products to some consumers. Good animal welfare coupled with good practices can make religious slaughter equal or better than regular slaughter. It has been estimated that approximately $3.07 million income could be generated by extracting carnosine from poultry co-products. Carnosine has wide medicinal and therapeutic applications as well as antioxidant properties in the body and in food systems. Phase-feeding does not adversely affect yield or meat quality of broilers in small bird or big bird programs regardless of strain.
Egg Safety and Quality: Sampling methodology for assessment of egg sanitizers can have a significant impact on the resulting recovery of bacteria. Washing eggs significantly lowers eggshell bacterial levels. If pomace can be fed to laying hens as a feed ingredient or to induce molting, an agricultural byproduct could become a value-added ingredient for poultry feed.