PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND FOOD SAFETY IN POULTRY AND EGG PROCESSING AND FURTHER PROCESSING

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: NEW
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1003033
• Project No.: TEX0-1-7922
• Project Start Date: Jul 14, 2014
• Project End Date: May 6, 2019

Project Director
Alvarado, CH, Z.

Recipient Organization
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
750 AGRONOMY RD STE 2701
COLLEGE STATION,TX 77843-0001

Performing Department
Poultry Science

Non Technical Summary
The world poultry industry has maintained growth at unprecedented rates while consumer life styles and food preferences continue to change. Convenience foods that are consumer-friendly, affordable, nutritious, safe, and able to satisfy all of the basic consumer's quality preferences continue to direct the poultry industry's marketing path. To meet these needs, poultry producers and processors seeking to develop advanced production and processing technologies for use in producing consumer-oriented products. These changing technologies will require new basic knowledge about poultry production and processing efficiencies, and the safety, functional properties, and stability of poultry and egg products. This project is composed of three objective areas: 1. Poultry Meat Safety, 2. Poultry Meat Quality, 3. Egg Quality and Safety. The intent of this project is to efficiently use the capabilities of the resources at Texas A&M to achieve the project objectives that address current national and international priorities of improving consumer food safety and product acceptance, and the commercial profitability of poultry meat and eggs by solving critical problems related to the quality of poultry meat and eggs; specifically color, flavor, or texture of the product, and the safety of poultry meat and eggs; specifically pathogen colonization, contamination, decontamination.Poultry Meat Safety Outbreaks of foodborne illness continue to persist in the U.S. food supply even though it is considered one of the safest in the world. There are an estimated 60 to 80 million individuals who contract foodborne illness each year leading to approximately 3,000 deaths (CDC, 2012). The annual costs of foodborne illness in the U.S. are estimated at from $5 to $6 billion, including both medical costs and productivity losses. Poultry products have come under scrutiny over the past several years due to listeriosis outbreaks and product recalls of precooked ready-to-eat products. As a consequence, the FSIS has implemented a zero tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat products. Although FSIS instituted HACCP in 1996, food-borne illness continues to be a significant problem in consumers of poultry. Poultry processing plants throughout the U.S. are challenged by even lower FSIS Salmonella standards. Thus, the need to develop intervention strategies to aid in the elimination of pathogenic bacteria from the nation's food supply is a concern for both producers and consumers of poultry products. Moreover, USDA-FSIS has recently enacted Campylobacter standards. Many poultry companies are having difficulty meeting these standards as no field interventions exist for this pathogen. Removal and destruction of pathogens on the surfaces of poultry products are important links in the goal of producing pathogen-free products. Hence, new methods to reduce bacterial populations inherent to poultry products are needed while assuring that products reach the consumer in a wholesome state.Poultry Meat Quality Total U.S. per capita consumption of poultry meat has doubled in the past 40 years alone, increasing from 48 lbs in 1970 to nearly 100 lbs in 2013 with the majority (>60%) comprised of boneless meat. Today, approximately 90% of the market consists of parts and further processed products compared to only 20% in 1960. The demand for boneless breast meat has steadily increased over the past 30 years and is produced for many market segments including retail, foodservice, and further processing. Broilers are processed in a variety of weight ranges in order to meet specific customer needs, and the processing of large birds, 6-9 lb., is becoming increasingly popular. More recently, a greater percentage of boneless, skinless breast meat comes from the big bird market segment because of increased yields and pounds per man hour. The average live weight of birds in this segment is now around 7.6 lbs. (ranging 6-9 lbs), approximately a 15% increase over 10 years ago. This demand has been met in part by the poultry industry's aim to provide lean and convenient products and to focus on the further processed markets. Concerns about maintaining quality, color, flavor, and functionality of poultry products are continuing to be expressed by both the poultry processing industry and consumers, especially as growth rate and bird sizes (weights) have increased. Furthermore, consumer expectations for consistent quality are increasing while demands for convenience have resulted in processes, such as accelerated processing and precooking, that place severe strain on color, textural, and flavor because of incomplete resolution of rigor mortis and the tendency for poultry meat lipids to oxidize resulting in "warmed over flavors". Continuing prevalence of defective meat such as PSE and white striping conditions and failure to reduce the incidence and/or severity of those conditions will further reduce the efficiency and competitiveness of the U.S. poultry industry in the global poultry market. Current and future trends include the use of marination for the enhancement of meat quality, controlled atmosphere and low atmosphere stunning, chilling processes, stream-lined processing (minimal aging), portioning and packaging techniques. These trends have the potential to impact poultry meat quality positively or negatively. Currently in the U.S. food industry, there is a trend toward marinating poultry products as a way to add value to the product and/or to improve quality of early deboned meat or PSE-like meat. Popular and functional non-meat ingredients including soy protein, carrageenan, modified food starch, and fibers have been traditionally added to meat products to serve as extenders, binders, and fillers in emulsified and comminuted products. However, there is limited information on the ability of these non-meat ingredients to increase the water holding capacity of whole muscle products. Because these products are used to increase the water holding capacity in many blended food products, they may be effective in improving poultry deli loaves made with whole muscle poultry meat that exhibit the poo meat quality. If these ingredients can restore meat functionality, then yield losses currently incurred would dramatically diminish resulting in economic benefits to the industry. However, clean labels (limited ingredients, recognizable by consumers) are also in demand by consumers and therefore, processors. Using limited ingredients can result in continued poor meat quality characteristics in finished products if raw ingredients are of poor quality.Egg Quality and Safety Eggs are a significant agricultural commodity and an important portion of America's diet. Americans consumed approximately 248 eggs per capita annually, fueling a domestic egg industry that produced 78.5 billion eggs in 2010 (AEB, 2012). Improvements in the management, disease control, nutrition, and genetics of laying hens as well as advancements in egg processing technology over the past 50 years have changed today's egg quality, composition, and safety; yet few investigations have documented these changes. In 2009, the Food and Drug Administration published a final rule to control Salmonella contamination and growth during egg production and through transportation (FDA, 2009). Egg producers with greater than 3,000 hens on site are held to the various requirements of the law. Updated research is needed to serve as a current baseline for evaluation of the application of the new regulations related to egg washing temperatures. In addition, research is needed to aid the egg processing industry to solve the technical problems that have hindered maintaining the consistent quality of the variety of egg products produced for today's market over the egg production cycle of the laying hens.

Animal Health Component

0%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

10%

Applied

70%

Developmental

20%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
502	3270	1060	20%
712	3260	1100	40%
712	3280	1100	40%

Knowledge Area
712 - Protect Food from Contamination by Pathogenic Microorganisms, Parasites, and Naturally Occurring Toxins; 502 - New and Improved Food Products;

Subject Of Investigation
3260 - Poultry meat; 3280 - Other poultry products; 3270 - Eggs;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 1100 - Bacteriology;

Keywords

poultry meat quality

poultry meat safety

egg quality

egg safety

Goals / Objectives
ObjectivesPoultry Meat Safety: Production, processing, and packaging safety of poultry meat, through bacterial intervention strategiesPoultry Meat Quality: Improving meat quality through application of technologies and processes.Egg Quality and Safety: To identify methods and procedures to improve and maintain the quality and safety of shell eggs and egg products.

Project Methods
Approach:Poultry Meat Safety - Production, processing, and packaging safety of poultry meat, through bacterial intervention strategies- chemical, biological, thermal, engineering, and nutritional aspects.To test chemical (organic acids, acidified electrolyzed water, and new technologies) and natural alternatives as interventions for reduction and eliminating pathogenic (Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria) on processed poultry products.To identify and evaluate biological interventions, such as competitive exclusion or biologically derived molecules, for eliminating pathogenic bacteria from poultry processing equipment surfaces and products.To assess novel thermal, non-thermal, and chemical processes for the ability to eliminate pathogens and extend the shelf life of poultry products.To develop novel engineering and chemical approaches for producing safer poultry products.To assess dietary components and management practices that may decrease colonization and shedding of pathogens during the production of poultry.Poultry Meat Quality - Improving meat quality through application of technologies and processes.Meat tenderness: Evaluate changing processing procedures (shortened aging time), simplified instrumental techniques to assess tenderness, and methods to improve and maintain tenderness through physical or chemical means.Poor quality poultry meat: Reexamine processing procedures and correlate occurrence to focus on preventing the development and remediate PSE-like poultry meat. Establish the most effective approach in employing light reflectance and determine if digital images have further information that correlates to incidence.Technologies and processes: Verification of stunning, processing, air chilling, and other processes and their interactions with meat quality, including texture, color, flavor, water holding capacity, and blood splash. Establish a relationship between improved bird welfare and meat quality.To test chemical and natural alternatives as interventions for reduction and spoilage bacteria on processed poultry products.Egg Quality and Safety - To identify methods and procedures to improve and maintain the quality and safety of shell eggs and egg products.Identify strain and environmental factors associated with functionality deficiencies in egg products.Quantify the changes in functionality of eggs and the compositional changes in egg over the hen's egg production cycle.Assess the effectiveness of alternative sanitizing agents on shell eggs.Determine environmental and biological factors impacting the safety of eggs.Determine the applicability of imaging technology for assessing eggshell integrity and shell egg internal components and quality.

Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for research and activities conducted during the reporting period are the poultry and allied industries that support the poultry industry. This list includes the major companies as well as small to medium size companies that deal with broilers, turkeys, and eggs. Allied industries are those which support the processors with equipment, food ingredients, sanitation chemicals, antimicrobial agents, feed components, statistical analyses, and other support to allow processors to maintain operations effectively for quality and safety. Other target groups include consumers and students involved in poultry science. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?These projects have provided training and professional developmen for 4 graduate students (1 MS, 3 PhD) and 4 undergraduate students. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The information has been dessiminated though 3 industry Educational courses, 2 training sessions, and 3 peer reviewed research articles, and 3 technical publications in trade magazines. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The world poultry industry has maintained growth at unprecedented rates while consumer life styles and food preferences continue to change. Convenience foods that are consumer-friendly, affordable, nutritious, safe, and able to satisfy all of the basic consumer's quality preferences continue to direct the poultry industry's marketing path. To meet these needs, poultry producers and processors seeking to develop advanced production and processing technologies for use in producing consumer-oriented products. These changing technologies will require new basic knowledge about poultry production and processing efficiencies, and the safety, functional properties, and stability of poultry and egg products. Impacts: Poultry Meat Safety: Removal and destruction of pathogens on the surfaces of poultry products are important links in the goal of producing pathogen-free products. Hence, new methods to reduce bacterial populations inherent to poultry products are needed while assuring that products reach the consumer in a wholesome state. The research conducted under this project established acceptable methods of food safety interventions to be used in the poultry industry for broilers and turkeys. The interventions tested are new technologies and ingredients that are able to reduce the pathogen load of Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry by 99 and 99.9%. These interventions were found to decrease the concerned pathogens and some of them were considered to be natural for clean labeling. Processors are now currently using these interventions and using them at the respected levels that were researched with this proposal. Poultry Meat Quality: Concerns about maintaining quality, color, flavor, and functionality of poultry products are continuing to be expressed by both the poultry processing industry and consumers, especially as growth rate and bird sizes (weights) have increased. Furthermore, consumer expectations for consistent quality are increasing while demands for convenience have resulted in processes, such as accelerated processing and precooking, that place severe strain on color, textural, and flavor because of incomplete resolution of rigor mortis and the tendency for poultry meat lipids to oxidize resulting in "warmed over flavors". Continuing prevalence of defective meat such as PSE, woody breasts, and white striping conditions and failure to reduce the incidence and/or severity of those conditions will further reduce the efficiency and competitiveness of the U.S. poultry industry in the global poultry market. The research conducted focused on ways to improve quality of meat through feed ingredients as well as raw meat ingredients. There was also testing conducted to determine why these poor quality factors exist in broiler breast meat and ways to alleviate the concerns. Processors are currently re-evaluating their feeding regimen and their processing parameters to ensure meat quality acceptance to consumers and to their customers.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Bodle, B.C*, C. Z. Alvarado, R. B. Shirley, Y. Mercier, J.T. Lee, 2018. Evaluation of different dietary alterations in their ability to mitigate the incidence and severity of woody breast and white striping in commercial male broilers, Poult. Sci. 97(9):3298- 3310.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Aguirre, M.E.*, C. M. Owens, R. K. Miller, C. Z. Alvarado, 2018. Descriptive sensory and instrumental texture profile analysis of woody breast in marinated chicken, Poultry Science, Volume 97, Issue 4, 1 April 2018, Pages 14561461.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Price, P.*, J. A. Byrd, C. Z. Alvarado, H. Pavlidis, D. McIntyre, G. Archer, 2018. Utilizing original XPC" in feed to reduce stress susceptibility of broilers. Poult Sci. 97(3):855-859.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Wall, K.R., C. R. Kerth, R. K. Miller, C. Alvarado, 2018. Grilling temperature effects on tenderness, juiciness, flavor and volatile aroma compounds of aged ribeye, strip loin, and top sirloin steaks. Meat Sci.

Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for research and activites conducted for this reportiong period are the poultry industry, allied indutries that support the poultry industry, and government (FSIS) which uses science based research to make policy. Industry includes the major companies as well as small to medium size companies that deal with broilers, turkeys, and eggs. Allied insutries are those which support the processor with equipment, food ingredients, sanitation checmicals, antimicrobial agents, feed components, statistical analyses, and any other support to allow processors to maintain operations effecitvely.The nature of my research is very applied and can be used by both processors and allied industries and can be implemented in short periods of time. Other target groups are the general consumers and students involved with poultry science. Most of my activities include improving quality attributes, consumer acceptance of products, and improving food safety of products to consumers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?These projects have provided training and professional development for students (1 MS, 4 PhD, 2 MAg, 1 undergraduate). In addition, these projects have provided training for indsutry people in the areas of meat quality and food safety. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The information has been dessiminated though 3 industry educational courses, 1 training session, 2 newsletters, and 2 research articles, multiple technical publications in trade magazines, and 3 blogs. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue with indsutry training courses, trade journal articles, research articles, webinars and blogs for the indsutry.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? In the following randomized complete block study, multiple nutritional strategies were investigated in an effort to mitigate the presence and severity of white striping (WS) and woody breast (WB) in high-yielding male broilers. To do this, a total of 1,980 day-of-hatch Ross 708 male broilers were distributed between 6 treatments (11 replicate pens/treatment (Trt); 30 broilers/replicate pen). Relative to a commercial set of reference broiler diets (CRD; Trt 1) that were fed in a four-phase program (starter, grower, finisher and withdraw), the following nutritional strategies were investigated: 1. Increasing the ratio of digestible Arginine: digestible Lysine (dArg: dLys ranged from 120 to 125; Trt 2), 2. Supplementing Trt 1 with 100 mg vitamin C/ kg feed (Trt 3), 3. Doubling the vitamin pack inclusion rate (Trt 4), 4. Reducing the digestible amino acid density (dAA) of only the grower phase by 15% and feeding the exact same Trt 1 starter, finisher and withdraw diets (Trt 5), and 5. Combining the four strategies just mentioned (Trt 6). As dietary changes were made, the following production parameters were evaluated on d 12, d 24, d 36 and d 45: body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI) and mortality-corrected feed conversion ratio (FCR). After these measurements were taken, 7 birds per pen (462 birds in total; +/- 300g/mean pen weight) were processed on d 46; boneless, skinless breast meat yields were determined and breast filets were scored for the level and incidence of WS and WB. Performance of broilers in Trt 1 was in agreement with the 2014 Ross 708 performance objectives. At the end of the grower and finisher phases, feeding lower dAA grower diets suppressed BW (Trts 5 and 6; p<0.001); however, differences in BW amongst all treatments disappeared at 49 d-of-age (p=0.220). Compared to Trt 1, cumulative FCR through 45 d-of-age was greatest for Trts 3 and 4. No differences were observed in average breast weight (p=0.188); however, breast yield (as a % of live weight) was greatest for Trt 1 and least for Trt 6 (p=0.041). The WS score and profile were not affected by dietary treatment (p>0.548); however, the WB score and profile were affected. The WB score dropped from 1.83 in Trt 1 to 1.49, 1.27, 1.74, 1.53 and 1.43 in Treatments 2 - 6, respectively (p=0.018). As a result, the WB class that contained scores of 2 and 3 shifted from 61.3% in Trt 1 to 49.3, 35.9, 60.0, 50.8 and 38.7 in Treatments 2 - 6, respectively. Given the FCR, breast weight data and the fact that high WB scores result in a devaluation of breast meat, feeding a higher ratio of dArg: dLsy, higher vitamin C, or a lower dAA in the grower phase results in better breast meat quality and value. The broiler industry has a variable meat tenderness issue known as woody breast (WB). This research compares quality attributes of normal and severe WB in 2 experiments. Experiment 1 objective was to develop and validate a descriptive texture profile with 6 trained panelists using a 16-point scale (0=none, 15=extremely intense). Sixty-four normal and severe WB in 2 replications were obtained from a commercial facility, injected with 12% brine (0.48 STPP, 0.55% NaCl) and 20 min drip loss determined. Fillet color (L*) and pH were determined prior to being vacuum packaged, stored (29C, <1wk), and thawed (4C, 24h). Fillets were cooked (73C) on a gas grill or in foil covered pans in a convection oven and cook loss was determined. Panelist samples from the cranial portion of the fillet were cut into 3 pieces (2.54cmx2.54cm). The data were analyzed (SAS) using GLM and LS-MEANS with P<0.05 to determine significance. L* and pH were higher for WB than normal fillets (P<0.05). After marination, WB had higher 20 min drip loss and higher cook loss (20.0;16.8) than normal fillets (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between the cooking methods. Sensory panel descriptors of hardness (4.56;4.97), springiness (3.87;4.32), cohesiveness (4.96;5.31), denseness (4.77;5.38), crunchiness (1.88;2.78), fracturability (2.83;3.23), fibrous (2.01;3.19) and chewiness (1.62;2.41) were higher for WB than normal fillets (P<0.05). In Experiment 2, both oven and grill cooking methods were used to evaluate texture profile analysis (TPA,3 samples,4cmx2cm) to determine differences between normal and WB either stored fresh (<48h postmortem, 4C) or frozen (<1month, -29C). The data were analyzed (SAS) using GLM and LS-MEANS and P<0.05. TPA for fresh oven cooked samples were higher than grilled samples (P<0.05). TPA descriptors of hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess and chewiness were higher for WB than normal fillets (P<0.05). When comparing fresh and frozen storage methods, only cohesiveness was significantly higher in WB than normal. Therefore, marinated severe WB has significant texture differences when compared to normal breast.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Yeater, M*, R. K. Miller, C. Z. Alvarado, 2017. Comparative evaluation of texture wheat ingredients and soy proteins in the quality and acceptability of emulsified chicken nuggets Poult. Sci. 96 (12). pg 44304438.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: " Jones - Ibarra, A., G. R. Acuff, C. Z. Alvarado, T. M. Taylor., 2017. Validation of Thermal Lethality against Salmonella enterica in Poultry Offal during Rendering. J. Food Prot. 80(9). Pg 14221428

Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for research and activites conducted from September 30, 2015 through October 1, 2016 is the poultry industry and allied indutries that support the poultry industry. This list includes the major companies as well as small to medium size companies that deal with broilers, turkeys, and eggs. Allied insutries are those which support the processor with equipment, food ingredients, sanitation checmicals, antimicrobial agents, feed components, statistical analyses, and any other support to allow processors to maintain operations effecitvely.The nature of my research is very applied and can be used by both processors and allied industries and can be implemented in short periods of time. Other target groups are the general consumers and students involved with poultry science. Most of my activities include consumer acceptance of products and behaviors used in the industry for safety and quality of poultry products Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?These projects have provided training and professional developmen for students (2 MS, 4 PhD, 3 MAg), 1 undergraduate students. In addition, these projects have provided training for indsutry people in the areas of meat qualitya nd food safety. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The information has been dessiminated though 3 industry Educational courses, 4 training sessions, 2 newsletters, and 3 research articles, 6 technical publications in trade magazines, blogs, 2 webinars. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue with indsutry training courses, trade journal articles, research articles webinars and blogs for the indsutry.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The world poultry industry has maintained growth at unprecedented rates while consumer life styles and food preferences continue to change. Convenience foods that are consumer-friendly, affordable, nutritious, safe, and able to satisfy all of the basic consumer's quality preferences continue to direct the poultry industry's marketing path. To meet these needs, poultry producers and processors seeking to develop advanced production and processing technologies for use in producing consumer-oriented products. These changing technologies will require new basic knowledge about poultry production and processing efficiencies, and the safety, functional properties, and stability of poultry and egg products. Impacts: Poultry Meat Safety: Removal and destruction of pathogens on the surfaces of poultry products are important links in the goal of producing pathogen-free products. Hence, new methods to reduce bacterial populations inherent to poultry products are needed while assuring that products reach the consumer in a wholesome state. The research conducted under this project established acceptable methods of food safety interventions to be used in the poultry industry for broilers and turkeys. The interventions tested are new technologies and ingredients that are able to reduce the pathogen load of Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry by 99 and 99.9%. These interventions were found to decrease the concerned pathogens and some of them were considered to be natural for clean labeling. Processors are now currently using these interventions and using them at the respected levels that were researched with this proposal. Poultry Meat Quality: Concerns about maintaining quality, color, flavor, and functionality of poultry products are continuing to be expressed by both the poultry processing industry and consumers, especially as growth rate and bird sizes (weights) have increased. Furthermore, consumer expectations for consistent quality are increasing while demands for convenience have resulted in processes, such as accelerated processing and precooking, that place severe strain on color, textural, and flavor because of incomplete resolution of rigor mortis and the tendency for poultry meat lipids to oxidize resulting in "warmed over flavors". Continuing prevalence of defective meat such as PSE, woody breasts, and white striping conditions and failure to reduce the incidence and/or severity of those conditions will further reduce the efficiency and competitiveness of the U.S. poultry industry in the global poultry market. The research conducted focused on ways to improve quality of meat through feed ingredients as well as raw meat ingredients. There was also testing conducted to determine why these poor quality factors exist in broiler breast meat and ways to alleviate the concerns. Processors are currently re-evaluating their feeding regimen and their processing parameters to ensure meat quality acceptance to consumers and to their customers. In addition, research conducted has helped processors determine uses for poor quality meat in further processed products.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Vishwesh, T., F. Yang; V. Kuttappan, C. Z. Alvarado, C. Coon, and C. Owens, 2016. Meat Quality of Broiler Breast Fillets with White Striping and Woody Breast Muscle Myopathies. Poult Sci. Poult Sci (2016) 95 (9): 2167-2173
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Al-Ajeeli, M. T. M. Taylor, C. Z. Alvarado, and C. Coufal, 2016. Comparison of eggshell surface sanitization technologies and impacts on consumer acceptability. Poult. Sci. 95(5): 1191-1197
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Esquivel-Hernandez, Y.; R. E. Ahumada-Cota; M. Attene-Ramos; C. Z. Alvarado; P. Casta�eda-Serrano; G. M. Nava, 2016. Making things clear: chickens are not fed growth hormones, the scientific basis. Trends in Food Science and Technology. 51(2016) 106-110
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Fang, J., G. Casco, and C. Z. Alvarado, 2016. Functionality of a native rice starch compared to modified corn starches in marinated chicken breast meat. Poult. Sci. 95 (E-Suppl 1):150
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Alvarado, C. Z. Nuevas Directiones Sobre Captura, Transporte, y Sacrificio de Aves. Simposium de Bienestar Animal; ANECA 2016. September 29-30. Holiday Inn, Quer�taro, Qro.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: " Alvarado, C. Z. Como iniciar en el procesamiento de productos con valor agregado. XII Simposium de Procesamiento e Inocuidad de Productos Av�colas; ANECA2015. February 12-13. Hotel Misi�n Juriquilla, Quer�taro, Qro.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Alvarado, C.Z. Innovaci�n y creaci�n de valor agregado en la producci�n de c�rnicos enfocados en las necesidades del consumidor. November 16-18. Hyatt Regency Merida MX.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Jones-Ibarra, Amie M., Acuff, Gary G., Taylor, T. Matthew, Alvarado, Christine Z., Thermal destruction of Salmonella during rendering of chicken byproduct meal. Poult. Sci. 95 (E-Suppl 1):61
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Onafowokan, A.A., J.A. Byrd, G. S. Archer, C. Z. Alvarado, 2016. Effects of lighting intensity on transmission of Salmonella among broiler chicks. Poult. Sci. 95 (E-Suppl 1):63
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Casco, G. and C. Z. Alvarado, 2016. Comparison of two methodsw for determining cook loss in broiler breast meat. Poult. Sci. 95 (E-Suppl 1):149
• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Aguirre, M. A., C. M. Owens, R. K. Miller, and C. Z> Alvarado, 2016. Descriptive Sensory and Texture Profile Characterization of marinated woody breast meat. Poult. Sci. 95 (E-Suppl 1):150
• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Portillo, D. A., M.A. Rebollo, C.Z. Alvarado, and J.T. Lee, 2016. Effect of late heat stress on breast meat quality fed different sources of zinc and manganese. Poult. Sci. 95 (E-Suppl 1):517P
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Alvarado, C.Z., J. Fang, G. Casco, J. A. Byrd, P. T. Price, D. P. Smith and H. O. Pavlidis, 2016. Effect of feeding Original XPC on Salmonella enumeration and prevalence in ceca, breast and ground breast meat in heat stress and non-heat stressed broilers. Poult. Sci. 95 (E-Suppl 1): 479P
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Jasek, A. K. D. Brown, P. Welch, M. Roux, B. Buresh, R. Latham, C. Z. Alvarado, J. T. Lee, 2016. Evaluation of increasing levels of zinc methionine hydroxyl analogue chelate on male growth performance. Poult. Sci. 95 (E-Suppl 1): 461P

Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for research and activites conducted from September 30, 2014 through October 1, 2015 is the poultry industry and allied indutries that support the poultry industry. This list includes the major companies as well as small to medium size companies that deal with broilers, turkeys, and eggs. Allied insutries are those which support the processors with equipment, food ingredients, sanitation checmicals, antimicrobial agents, feed components, statistical analyses, and any other support to allow processors to maintain operations effecitvely.The nature of my research is very applied and can be used by both processors and allied industries and can be implemented in short periods of time. Other target groups are the general consumers and students involved with poultry science. Most of my activities include meat and egg quality and safety as well aconsumer acceptance ofproducts and behaviors used in the industry for safety and quality of poultry products. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?These projects have provided trainign and professional developmen for 6 graduate students (1 MS, 5PhD), and 2 visiting scientists. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The information has been dessiminated though 3 industry Educational courses,2 training sessions, 2 newsletters, and 5 research articles, and6 technical publications in trade magazines. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objectives 1. Poultry Meat Safety: Production, processing, and packaging safety of poultry meat, through bacterial intervention strategies 2. Poultry Meat Quality: Improving meat quality through application of technologies and processes. 3. Egg Quality and Safety: To identify methods and procedures to improve and maintain the quality and safety of shell eggs and egg products. Major goals of the project What was accomplished under these goals? The world poultry industry has maintained growth at unprecedented rates while consumer life styles and food preferences continue to change. Convenience foods that are consumer-friendly, affordable, nutritious, safe, and able to satisfy all of the basic consumer's quality preferences continue to direct the poultry industry's marketing path. To meet these needs, poultry producers and processors seeking to develop advanced production and processing technologies for use in producing consumer-oriented products. These changing technologies will require new basic knowledge about poultry production and processing efficiencies, and the safety, functional properties, and stability of poultry and egg products. Impacts: Poultry Meat Safety: Removal and destruction of pathogens on the surfaces of poultry products are important links in the goal of producing pathogen-free products. Hence, new methods to reduce bacterial populations inherent to poultry products are needed while assuring that products reach the consumer in a wholesome state. The research conducted under this project established acceptable methods of food safety interventions to be used in the poultry industry for broilers and turkeys. The interventions tested are new technologies and ingredients that are able to reduce the pathogen load of Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry by 99 and 99.9%. These interventions were found to decrease the concerned pathogens and some of them were considered to be natural for clean labeling. Processors are now currently using these interventions and using them at the respected levels that were researched with this proposal. Poultry Meat Quality: Concerns about maintaining quality, color, flavor, and functionality of poultry products are continuing to be expressed by both the poultry processing industry and consumers, especially as growth rate and bird sizes (weights) have increased. Furthermore, consumer expectations for consistent quality are increasing while demands for convenience have resulted in processes, such as accelerated processing and precooking, that place severe strain on color, textural, and flavor because of incomplete resolution of rigor mortis and the tendency for poultry meat lipids to oxidize resulting in "warmed over flavors". Continuing prevalence of defective meat such as PSE, woody breasts, and white striping conditions and failure to reduce the incidence and/or severity of those conditions will further reduce the efficiency and competitiveness of the U.S. poultry industry in the global poultry market. The research conducted focused on ways to improve quality of meat through feed ingredients as well as raw meat ingredients. There was also testing conducted to determine why these poor quality factors exist in broiler breast meat and ways to alleviate the concerns. Processors are currently re-evaluating their feeding regimen and their processing parameters to ensure meat quality acceptance to consumers and to their customers. Report Date

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: " Casco, G., T. M. Taylor, and C. Z. Alvarado, 2015. Evaluation of Novel Micronized Encapsulated Essential Oil- Containing Phosphate and Lactate Blends for Growth Inhibition of Listeria Monocytogenes and Salmonella on Poultry Bologna, Pork Ham, and Roast Beef Ready-To-Eat Deli Loaves. J. Food Protection. Vol. 78 No 4 pgs 698-706
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: " Bansal, H. S., P. S. Takhar, C. Z. Alvarado, and L.D. Thompson. Transport mechanisms and quality changes in chicken nuggets during frying  hybrid mixture theory based multiscale modeling and experimental verification. J. Food Sci. 80:12 2759-2773
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: " Gerardo Casco, Jennifer L. Johnson, T. Matthew Taylor, Carlos N. Gayt�n, Mindy M. Brashears, and Christine Z. Alvarado, Controlling Listeria monocytogenes Scott A on Surfaces of Fully Cooked Turkey Deli Product Using Organic Acid-Containing Marinades as Postlethality Dips, International Journal of Food Science, vol. 2015, Article ID 157026, 5 pages, 2015. doi:10.1155/2015/157026
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: Vishwesh, T., F. Yang; V. Kuttappan, C. Z. Alvarado, C. Coon, and C. Owens, 2015. Meat Quality of Broiler Breast Fillets with White Striping and Woody Breast Muscle Myopathies.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: " Al-Ajeeli, M. T. M. Taylor, C. Z. Alvarado, and C. Coufal, 2015. Comparison of eggshell surface sanitization technologies and impacts on consumer acceptability.
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Fang,J. Utilization of Functional Fibers in Soy Protein Chicken Nuggets, 2015 Texas A&M University
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: " Alvarado, C. Z. Uso de ingredientes en sistemas de marinaci�n para un m�ximo rendimiento. XI Simposium de Procesamiento e Inocuidad de Productos Av�colas; ANECA2015. February 12-13. Hotel Misi�n Juriquilla, Quer�taro, Qro.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: " Alvarado, C. Z. Intervenciones para reducer la carga microbiana que ingresa a la planta. XI Simposium de Procesamiento e Inocuidad de Productos Av�colas; ANECA2015. February 12-13. Hotel Misi�n Juriquilla, Quer�taro, Qro.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Owens, C.M. and C. Z. Alvarado. Market Trends and Challenges Associated with Poultry Meat Quality. Arkansas Nutrition Conference. September 9-12. Embassy Suites, NWA, Rogers AR.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Casco and C. Z. Alvarado. Preliminary Evaluation of Commercial Antimicrobials to Inhibit Growth of Salmonella on Chicken Liver. J. Food Prot. Supp A. Vol 78 T12-03
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Ibarra, A. M. J. and C. Z. Alvarado. An Evaluation of Novel Food Safety Interventions on Poultry Parts. Poult. Sci. 94 (E-Suppl 1):43
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Onafowokan, A., R. Latham, R. Shirley, N. Sriperm, J. Lee and C. Z. Alvarado. Impact of Methionine Supplementation on the Meat Yield of 35 to 49 Day-of-Age Broilers. Poult. Sci. 94 (E-Suppl 1):4
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Fang, G. Casco, R. Latham, J. Lee, N. Sriperm, R. B. Shirley, and C. Z. Alvarado. The Effects of Dietary Supplementation of DL-Methionine and 2-Hydroxy-4-(Methylthio) Butanoic Acid (HMTBa) on Broiler Meat Quality. Poult. Sci. 94 (E-Suppl 1):42
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: J. Fang, R. Walzem, R. Wheeler, and C. Z. Alvarado. Utilization of Functional Fibers in Soy Protein Chicken Nuggets. Poult. Sci. 94 (E-Suppl 1):4
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: J. L. Solo, V. A. Kuttappan, C. Z. Alvarado, and C. M. Owens. Descriptive and consumer sensory analysis of woody broiler breast meat. Poult. Sci. 94 (E-Suppl 1):42

Progress 07/14/14 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience for research and activites conducted from September 30, 2013 through October 1, 2014 is the poultry industry and allied indutries that support the poultry industry. This listincludes the major companies as well as small to medium size companies that deal withbroilers, turkeys, and eggs. Allied insutries are those which support the processors with equipment, foodingredients, sanitation checmicals, antimicrobial agents, feed components, statistical analyses, and any other support to allow processors to maintain operations effecitvely.The nature of my research is very applied and can be used by both processors and allied industries and can be implemented in short periods of time.Other target groups are the generalconsumers and students involved withpoultry science.Most of myactivitiesinclude consumer acceptance of products and behaviors used in the industry for safety and quality of poultry products. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? These projects have provided trainign and professional developmen for 6 graduate students (3 MS, 3 PhD), 1 post-doc, 2 visiting scientists, and 4 undergraduate students. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The information has been dessiminated though 3 industry Educational courses, 6 training sessions, 2 newsletters, and 2 research articles, and 2 technical publications in trade magazines. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The world poultry industry has maintained growth at unprecedented rates while consumer life styles and food preferences continue to change. Convenience foods that are consumer-friendly, affordable, nutritious, safe, and able to satisfy all of the basic consumer’s quality preferences continue to direct the poultry industry’s marketing path. To meet these needs, poultry producers and processors seeking to develop advanced production and processing technologies for use in producing consumer-oriented products. These changing technologies will require new basic knowledge about poultry production and processing efficiencies, and the safety, functional properties, and stability of poultry and egg products. Impacts: Poultry Meat Safety: Removal and destruction of pathogens on the surfaces of poultry products are important links in the goal of producing pathogen-free products. Hence, new methods to reduce bacterial populations inherent to poultry products are needed while assuring that products reach the consumer in a wholesome state. The research conducted under this project established acceptable methods of food safety interventions to be used in the poultry industry for broilers and turkeys. The interventions tested are new technologies and ingredients that are able to reduce the pathogen load of Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry by 99 and 99.9%. These interventions were found to decrease the concerned pathogens and some of them were considered to be natural for clean labeling. Processors are now currently using these interventions and using them at the respected levels that were researched with this proposal. Poultry Meat Quality: Concerns about maintaining quality, color, flavor, and functionality of poultry products are continuing to be expressed by both the poultry processing industry and consumers, especially as growth rate and bird sizes (weights) have increased. Furthermore, consumer expectations for consistent quality are increasing while demands for convenience have resulted in processes, such as accelerated processing and precooking, that place severe strain on color, textural, and flavor because of incomplete resolution of rigor mortis and the tendency for poultry meat lipids to oxidize resulting in “warmed over flavors”. Continuing prevalence of defective meat such as PSE, woody breasts, and white striping conditions and failure to reduce the incidence and/or severity of those conditions will further reduce the efficiency and competitiveness of the U.S. poultry industry in the global poultry market. The research conducted focused on ways to improve quality of meat through feed ingredients as well as raw meat ingredients. There was also testing conducted to determine why these poor quality factors exist in broiler breast meat and ways to alleviate the concerns. Processors are currently re-evaluating their feeding regimen and their processing parameters to ensure meat quality acceptance to consumers and to their customers.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: " Veluz, G. A., S. Pitchiah, M. M. Brashears, and C. Z. Alvarado, 2014. Efficacy of quarternary ammonium compounds on different conveyor chips contaminated with poultry rinsate. Food Protection Trends, vol. 34, no. 1, pp 15-19
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2014 Citation: Casco, G., T, Taylor, and C.Z. Alvarado, 2014. Evaluation of novel micronized encapsulated essential oil-containing phosphate and lactate blends for growth inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella on poultry bologna, pork ham, and roast beef ready-to-eat deli loaves. In Press Journal of Food Protection on 11/ 25/ 2014
• Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Schilling, M.S., Y. V. Thaxton, and C. Z. Alvarado, 2014. Poultry. In Encyclopedia of Meat Sciences, 2nd edition, edited by Michael Dikeman and Carrick Devine.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Alvarado, C. Z., 2014. Innovaciones en los sistemas de marinacion. Simposio de Procesamiento e inocuidad de productos avicolas. ANECA February 2014, Queretaro, MX
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Jungwoo Park (MS). Texas A&M University. Effects of Dietary Citric Acid on the Metabolism of Broiler. December 2014
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Fang, J., G. Casco, and C. Z. Alvarado, 2014. Detection of residual Peracetic Acid by titration in Chicken rinse water. Poult. Sci. Vol 93 (E-Suppl.1). 171
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Casco, G., E. Demirok, G. Veluz, R. Miller, and C. Z. Alvarado, 2014. Comparison of natural and artificial phenolic compounds used as lipid antioxidants in chicken nuggets. Poult. Sci. Vol 93 (E-Suppl.1). 166
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Casco, G., L.C. Cavitt, G. Veluz., R. Miller and C. Z. Alvarado, 2014. The effects of sorghum phenolic compounds used as lipid antioxidants in chicken nuggets. Poult. Sci. Vol 93 (E-Suppl.1). 35
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: " Narciso-Guytan, C., A. S. Hernandez-Cazares, N. Real-Luna, J. Velasco-Velasco, A. Costreras-Oliva, S. B. Smith, and C. Z. Alvarado, 2014. Lipid Oxidation Stability of Conjugated Linoleic Acid-Enriched Chicken Meat, Poultry Science Association, Poult. Sci. Vol 93 (E-Suppl.1). 89
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: " Hernandez- Cazares, A.S., C. Z. Alvarado, N Real-Luna, A. Contrerar-Aliva, J. Velasco-Velasco, and C. Narciso-Gaytan, 2014. Effect of different floral honeys on the lipid oxidation stability of cooked chicken meat. Poult. Sci. Vol 93 (E-Suppl.1). 165
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Alvarado, C. Z., 2014. Emulsions  Ingredients used in water management Technical article. Meatingplace, October 2014
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Alvarado, C. Z. and L. Johnson, 2014. Food Safety Trends in Slicing Logs. Technical article Meatingplace August 2014