Incidence of Microorganisms Affecting Shelf-life, Quality and Safety of Locally-Produced Frozen Broiler Chickens in Kuwait PDF

Keywords

frozen storage, poultry, bacterial flora

Abstract

Temperatures in 38 display freezer cabinets and 31 large freezers (bulk storage) of food outlets were monitored to determine market storage temperatures of frozen poultry meat in Kuwait. Data showed that the storage temperatures were too high. Frozen poultry meat stored under simulated market storage conditions showed a rapid increase in spoilage microorganism counts when stored at -5°C, whereas counts in carcasses stored at -18 and -12°C did not substantially change over 12 months of storage. The counts of psychrotrophic bacteria increased from log 3.4 to 7.2 CFU/ml after three months storage at -5°C and was accompanied by changes in the meat's sensory and organoleptic properties, increased values of total volatile nitrogen, free fatty acids and peroxides. No substantial changes were observed in extract release volume. Data also showed relatively high initial counts of E. coli and coliforms, (average log 3.2 and 3.4 CFU/ml rinse, respectively), indicating poor sanitation during slaughtering and processing. These counts decreased with increasing frozen storage, but the decrease rate was higher at lower temperatures (-18°C) than at higher temperatures (-12 and -5°C). Salmonella was present in 60-80% of examined frozen carcasses, and this incidence rate did not substantially change during prolonged frozen storage. Campylobacter and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in all examined frozen carcasses at relatively high levels (average log 2.9 and 4.4 CFU/ml rinse, respectively). These levels decreased (by about 1 and 1.5 log cycles, respectively) with increasing frozen storage, especially in carcasses stored at lower temperatures (-18°C), Freezing and/or prolonged frozen storage generally reduces, but did not render the poultry completely free of bacterial flora.