Asian Food Science Journal

Aims: The study was carried out to investigate the effect of natural compounds and organic acids on Salmonella typhimurium in broiler chicken meat.

Study Design: This is a laboratory-controlled experimental design.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Livestock Production, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, between February 2014 and April 2014.

Methodology: Approximately equal sized (4x4x1.5 cm), shaped (cuboidal) and same weight 10g±0.2) chicken meat samples were taken, sterilized using UV and contaminated with Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC 14028) at two cell densities (10² and 10⁸ Colony Forming Units (CFU)/g of meat). Subsequently, meat samples were treated with 1% solutions of both Chemical (Citric, Acetic and Lactic) and Natural compounds (Cardamom, Nutmeg and Mace) for 30 seconds. Treated samples were ground and serially diluted for the enumeration of recovered bacteria. Data were analyzed using SAS followed by a Tukey’s post-hoc test at 95% significance level.

Results: Lactic, Acetic and Citric acids have shown 66% (25 CFU/g), 55% (33.33 CFU/g) and 51% (36.6 CFU/g) reduction of colony count at 10² CFU/g inoculation and 88% (8.13x10⁶ CFU/g), 87% (9.3x10⁶ CFU/g) and 72% (2.03x10⁷CFU/g) reduction at 10⁸CFU/g inoculation level. Treatment with Nutmeg, Mace and Cardamom showed 85% (10 CFU/g), 83% (11.6 CFU/g) and 66% (23.3 CFU/g) reduction at 10² CFU/g and 89% (7.3 x 10⁶ CFU/g), 89% (7.5 x 10⁶ CFU/g) and 72% (1.96 x 10⁷ CFU/g) reduction at 10⁸CFU/g inoculation level. Natural compounds showed a 20% greater reduction of colony count in broiler chicken compared to chemical compounds.

Conclusion: It is concluded that the natural compounds and weak organic acids have an anti-S. typhimurium effect, hence it can be used for decontamination process of poultry meat.