Selection of indigenous indicator micro-organisms for validating desiccation-adapted Salmonella reduction in...

The thermal resistance of desiccation-adapted Salmonella Senftenberg 775/W was compared with those of indigenous enterococci and total aerobic bacteria in poultry litter.

Aged broiler litter and composted turkey litter with 20, 30, 40 and 50% moisture contents were inoculated with desiccation-adapted Salm. Senftenberg 775/W, and then heat-treated at 75 and 85°C. Compared to total aerobic bacteria, there were better correlations between mean log reductions of desiccation-adapted Salm. Senftenberg 775/W and indigenous enterococci in broiler litter samples with 20, 30, 40 and 50% moisture contents at 75°C (R²  > 0·91), and 20, 30 and 40% moisture contents at 85°C (R²  > 0·87). The mean log reductions of Salm. Senftenberg 775/W were better correlated with those of indigenous enterococci in turkey litter samples with 20, 30, 40 and 50% moisture contents at 75°C (R²  > 0·88), and 20 and 30% moisture contents at 85°C (R²  = 0·83) than those of total aerobic bacteria, which had a better correlation in turkey litter sample with 40% (R²  = 0·98) moisture content at 85°C.

Indigenous enterococci may be used to validate the thermal processing of poultry litter, as it predicts the survival behaviour of Salmonella under some treatment conditions.

This study provides some scientific data for poultry litter processors when validating the effectiveness of thermal processing.