Authors: Cook, Angela¹; Odumeru, Joseph²; Lee, Susan³; Pollari, Frank⁴

Source: Journal of Food Protection®, Volume 75, Number 1, January 2012 , pp. 34-40(7)

Publisher: International Association for Food Protection

Abstract:

This study examined the prevalence, counts, and subtypes of Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC), and E. coli on raw retail chicken breast with the skin on versus the skin off. From January to December 2007, 187 raw skin-on chicken breasts and 131 skin-off chicken breasts were collected from randomly selected retail grocery stores in the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Campylobacter isolates were recovered from a higher proportion of the skin-off chicken breasts, 55 (42%) of 131, than of the skin-on chicken breasts tested, 55 (29%) of 187 (P = 0.023). There was no difference in the proportion of Salmonella isolates recovered from the two meat types (P = 0.715): 40 (31%) of 131 skin-off chicken breasts versus 61 (33%) of 187 skin-on chicken breasts. L. monocytogenes isolates were recovered from a statistically lower proportion of the skin-off chicken breasts, 15 (15%) of 99, than of the skin-on chicken breasts, 64 (34%) of 187 (P = 0.001). There was no difference in the proportion of E. coli isolates recovered from the skin-off chicken breasts, 33 (33%) of 99, than from the skin-on chicken breasts, 77 (41%) of 187 (P = 0.204). VTEC was detected on a single skin-off chicken breast. Campylobacter jejuni was the most frequent species isolated on both types of chicken meat: skin-on, 48 (87%) of 55, and skin-off, 51 (94%) of 54. Salmonella serotypes Kentucky and Heidelberg and L. monocytogenes serotype 1/2a were the most frequently detected serotypes from both skin-off and skin-on chicken breasts. Although there appeared to be a trend toward higher enumeration values of these pathogens and E. coli on the skin-on chicken, the differences did not exceed 1 log. This study suggested that skin-off chicken breast may represent a higher risk of consumer exposure to Campylobacter, a similar risk for Salmonella, VTEC, and E. coli, and a lower risk for L. monocytogenes than skin-on chicken breast.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-11-206

Affiliations: 1: Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Public Health Agency of Canada, 255 Woodlawn Road West, Unit 120, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1H 8J1. angela.cook@phac-aspc.gc.ca 2: Ministry of the Environment, Laboratory Services Branch, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada M9P 3V6, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 3: Laboratory Services Division, University of Guelph, 95 Stone Road, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1H 8J7 4: Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, 255 Woodlawn Road West, Unit 120, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1H 8J1

Publication date: 2012-01-01

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