Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Salmonella is a leading bacterial cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Despite an overall reduction in Salmonella incidence in broiler chickens during slaughter over the last several years, the number of human cases that are linked to contaminated chicken products has not decreased. Therefore, there is a critical need for novel approaches to reduce this significant pathogen in chicken products. This proposal seeks to screen broilers before slaughter by assessing the amount of Salmonella and also the presence of specific Salmonella types ('serotypes') that are of greatest concern to human health and to use this information to attribute a risk score to each broiler flock. By slaughtering lowest risk broiler flocks first, we expect to reduce overall Salmonella contamination by keeping lower-risk flocks free of cross-contamination from higher-risk flocks. The overall objective is to test and model a realistic and dedicated risk management strategy to reduce Salmonella, specifically serotypes highly associated with human illness, by directed processing of broiler carcasses. The expected outcome is to define an effective and realistic approach to reducing Salmonella in poultry that works within the confines of a complex industry. Our outcomes will have a positive impact by generating models that stakeholders and policymakers can use to enhance food safety practices and policies that are centered on reducing pathogens in poultry and in other food animal production systems.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
40%
Applied
60%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The overall goal is to model and test a realistic and dedicated management strategy to reduce Salmonella in broiler chickens, specifically serotypes of greatest importance to public health, by directed processing of broiler carcasses. This will be accomplished by screening pre-harvest broilers to quantify Salmonella levels and the presence of serotypes of concern and using this information to direct intervention practices during broiler processing. Major goal 1: to develop and test a directed processing approach in broiler chickens based on Salmonella serotype identity and levelsMajor goal 2: simulate directed processing under industry-relevant parameters and assess benefitMajor goal 3: implement a logistical and feasible directed processing scheme for processors
Project Methods
Major goal 1: to develop and test a directed processing approach in broiler chickens based on Salmonella serotype identity and levels; this will be completed by assessing Salmonella serotype populations and Salmonella levels in broiler flocks before harvest and attributing a risk profile to each flock. Following a directed processing-ON and -OFF timeline, we will assess the efficacy of directed processing based on risk profiles by sampling carcasses at the plant.Major goal 2: simulate directed processing under industry-relevant parameters and assess benefit. A quantitative microbiological risk assessment will be built to predict the impact of directed processing strategies to reduce Salmonella risk across differences in testing frequency, live production scales, and processing decisions.Major goal 3: implement a logistical and feasible directed processing scheme for processors. We will pilot practical directed processing approaches for three participating integrator complexes (n three different geographical regions), according to their anticipated practical constraints.