Phosphate and heat treatments to control Salmonella and reduce spoilage and rancidity on broiler carcasses.

Broiler chicken carcasses were inoculated with about 300 cells of a naladixic acid resistant strain of Salmonella typhimurium, then treated for 3 min with highly agitated water with or without 6% phosphate added, at 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, or 90 C. Other broiler carcasses were inoculated with about 60 cells, then similarly treated at 65 or 70 C. All carcasses were chilled after the hot water treatment in a system simulating commerical chilling. When inoculum was 300 cells, at least 5% of the carcasses remained contaminated with Salmonella, even when hot water treatment was at 90 C. When inoculum was 60 cells, Salmonella were eliminated by hot water treatment at 65 or 70 C. Carcasses showed a partially cooked appearance after hot water treatment. Total bacterial counts on carcasses treated at 70 and 90 C, with or without added phosphate, and then chilled were lower than on control carcasses throughout storage at 2 C for up to 26 days. Phosphates did not consistently or significantly affect either Salmonella survival or total bacterial counts. Oxidative deterioration as measured by the thiobarbituric acid test was significantly retarded throughout 26 days of storage by the addition of 6% phosphate to a 70 or 90 C hot water treatment.