Prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni at Different Sampling Sites in Two California Turkey Processing Plants

A prevalence survey for Campylobaeter jejuni from 12 sites was made in two turkey processing plants. Both plants are federally inspected but differ in the age of birds slaughtered (18 and 24 wk for plant A and B, respectively) and scald water temperatures (2.5 min at 60°C and 3 min at 57.2°C for plants A and B, respectively). A total of 594 samples were taken during the period May to July 1982. Isolation rates for individual sites and plant A and B, respectively, were as follows: feathers 23.3 and 3.3%, scald water overflow 5.7 and 5.6%, feather picker drip water 66.7 and 94.4%, recycled water for cleaning gutters 77.8 and 77.8%, ceca 86.7 and 93.3%, final carcass wash water 61.1 and 27.8%, neck skin before chiller 36.7 and 10%, chiller water overflow 0 and 44.4%, neck skin after chiller, hearts, livers, wings and mechanically deboned meat 0 and 0%. These isolation rates were based on detection levels of > 10 cells/ml or g for all water samples, skin and deboned meat, > 100 cells/g for feathers, heart, liver or wing and > 1000 cells/g for fecal samples. Mean cell counts per gram of feces were log₁₀ 5, with a range of log₁₀ 3.4 to log₁₀ 6.8. The defeathering equipment contributed significantly to cross-contamination. Use of chlorinated water in the chillers at 14 to 18 ppm levels may be responsible for the absence of C. jejuni in the edible turkey parts.