EFFECTS OF LACTIC AND ACETIC ACID TREATMENTS ON CAMPYLOBACTER JEJUNI INOCULATED ONTO CHICKEN LEG AND BREAST MEAT DURING STORAGE AT 4C AND-18C

Chicken leg and breast meat samples were inoculated with Campylobacter jejuni (ATCC 33291) at a level of 4-5 log most probable number/cm2 and dipped in lactic acid (LA; 1 and 3%) and acetic acid (AA; 1 and 2%) solutions for 10 min. Control samples were dipped in tap water. Samples were packed in polystyrene trays covered by stretch film and stored at 4C for 10 days and at -18C for 6 months. Immediately after organic acid treatments, C. jejuni counts were reduced by 0.36-1.98 log cfu/cm(2) as compared to the control samples treated with tap water. C. jejuni counts decreased significantly on leg (P < 0.05) and breast meat (P < 0.01) during storage at 4C. Although the pathogen survived in all samples during 6 months of storage at -18C, its level decreased significantly (P < 0.01) in both leg and breast meat samples. It was concluded that the treatment of chicken parts with LA or AA was effective especially for reducing initial C. jejuni population