Inhibition of Campylobacter jejuni on fresh chicken breasts by κ-carrageenan/chitosan-based coatings containing allyl isothiocyanate or deodorized oriental mustard extract.

Campylobacter species are common bacterial pathogens associated with human gastroenteritis worldwide. The objectives of this study were to determine the minimum inhibitory (MIC) and minimum bactericidal (MBC) concentrations of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) against 4 Campylobacter jejuni strains in Mueller-Hinton (MH) broth at 4, 21, 37 and 42°C and to screen the C. jejuni strains for their ability to degrade sinigrin (which forms AITC) in pH7.0 MH broth at 35°C for 21d. Also evaluated was the antimicrobial activity of an edible 0.2% κ-carrageenan/2% chitosan-based coating containing AITC or deodorized oriental mustard extract against a 4 strain C. jejuni cocktail (6.2log10CFU/g) on vacuum-packaged fresh chicken breasts during 4°C storage. MIC values of AITC were 0.63 to 1.25ppm and 2.5 to 5ppm against tested strains at 37 and 42°C, respectively. However, the MBC was 2.5 and 5ppm at 37 and 42°C, respectively, and increased to a range of 40 to 160ppm at 4°C. κ-Carrageenan/chitosan-based coatings containing 50 or 100μl/g AITC reduced viable C. jejuni to undetectable levels on chicken breast after 5d at 4°C, while 25μl/g AITC or 200 to 300mg/g mustard extract in coatings reduced C. jejuni numbers by 1.75 to 2.78log10CFU/g more than control coatings without antimicrobial. Both oriental mustard extract (50 to 300mg/g) and AITC (≥25μl/g) reduced aerobic bacteria by 1.72 to 2.75log10CFU/g and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) by 0.94 to 3.36log10CFU/g by 21d compared to the control coating. κ-Carrageenan/chitosan coatings containing ≥50μl/g AITC or ≥300mg/g oriental mustard showed excellent potential to control C. jejuni viability on raw chicken.