Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on Campylobacter jejuni in poultry meat

Campylobacter jejuni inactivation by high pressure processing (HPP) in poultry meat (chicken breast) was investigated. The pressure was created by high hydrostatic pressure piston-cylinder food processor. Contaminated with C. jejuni (108 CFU g-1) samples of ground poultry meat were hermetically sealed in a polyamide-polyethylene bags and exposed to HPP for 9 different combinations of pressure (200 MPa, 300 MPa and 400 MPa) and time (5 min, 10 min and 15 min). Quantitative bacteriological analysis was carried out in order to determine the number of surviving C. jejuni cells. The obtained results showed that C. jejuni is relatively sensitive to high pressure treatment as compared to other food-borne pathogens. The loss of C. jejuni viability increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner. On the basis of the results, D-values were calculated. For reduction C. jejuni in poultry meat by 6 log units (6D-values), considered as sufficient for consumer protection, the application of 300 MPa for 8.73 min, or 400 MPa for 4.37 min is needed. The linear regression equations, which has been calculated on the basis of this study, allows to determine the degree of C. jejuni reduction in poultry meat for any selected duration of pressurization in a given pressure range.