New research suggests that peracetic acid (PAA) could be beneficial in reducing and controlling campylobacter during poultry processing. The study found that PAA is an effective processing alternative applicable to secondary immersion chilling tanks when little or no organic matter accumulates and may be able to achieve greater campylobacter inactivation.
In a study that mimicked eight commercial poultry processing conditions such as scalding and chilling, two strains of C. jejuni were tested against PAA using three laboratory-based food matrices: buffered peptone water (BPW), chicken breast meat and meat-based broth.
Investigators found that PAA combined with chilling without prior scalding yielded greater campylobacter inactivation than other processing conditions within BPW and meat, and that chlorine-resistant C. jejuni was more susceptible at 80 ppm PAA. However, organic matter in the meat-based broth protected C. jejuni when exposed to PAA.
Read the abstract online in Food Control.