Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

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.

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.