Quality improvement of kosher chilled poultry

Pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes are of great concern in the poultry industry. Poultry, which are subjected to the kosher slaughtering and koshering process, may introduce even higher risks than conventially slaughtered poultry due to the potential for microbial cross-contamination at several critical points in the koshering line, particularly in the chillers. The effect of Microgard (MIC) and Nisin (NIS) on reducing total microbial counts, inhibiting L. monocytogenes, and prolonging shelf life was evaluated. In this work we applied dips of poultry into solutions of NIS, active against Gram-positive bacteria, and MIC, which is a bacteriocin mixture that retards growth of Gram-negative bacteria, and a mixture of organic acids. These treatments inhibited both inoculated and naturally occurring L. monocytogenes on poultry, and increased shelf life, at 6 C, from 2 to 4 d (end of shelf life was considered when total aerobic counts reached 7 log cfu/g).