Viability of Salmonella in bone meal

J A Abalaka1, R H Deibel

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

Microbios
|January 1, 1990
PubMed

Insights

Sodium metabisulphite effectively eliminates Salmonella in bone meal. A concentration of 5,000 ppm eradicated Salmonella within 4 days, with 4,000 ppm being the minimum killing concentration. Its efficacy is enhanced by moisture levels between 8-12%.

Area of Science:

  • Food safety
  • Microbiology
  • Animal by-product processing

Background:

  • Salmonella contamination poses a significant risk in animal by-products like bone meal.
  • Effective decontamination methods are crucial for ensuring the safety of rendered animal products.
  • Sodium metabisulphite is a common preservative with antimicrobial properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the efficacy of sodium metabisulphite in eliminating Salmonella in bone meal.
  • To establish the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of sodium metabisulphite against Salmonella in this matrix.
  • To investigate the influence of moisture content on the antimicrobial activity of sodium metabisulphite.

Main Methods:

  • Bone meal samples were inoculated with Salmonella.
  • Samples were treated with varying concentrations of sodium metabisulphite (ppm).
  • Viable Salmonella counts were assessed over a 4-day period at different moisture levels (8-12%).

Main Results:

  • No viable Salmonella were detected after 4 days of exposure to 5,000 ppm sodium metabisulphite.
  • The minimum killing concentration of sodium metabisulphite was determined to be 4,000 ppm.
  • The antimicrobial effect was significantly enhanced at moisture levels of 8% to 12%.

Conclusions:

  • Sodium metabisulphite is a potent agent for controlling Salmonella in bone meal.
  • Optimal efficacy is achieved at concentrations of 4,000-5,000 ppm and moisture content of 8-12%.
  • This finding supports the use of sodium metabisulphite as a decontamination strategy in rendered animal by-product processing.