Effects of Sampling Method and Feed Withdrawal Period on Recovery of Microorganisms from Poultry Carcasses ¹

Five trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of four microbiological sampling techniques for determining aerobic plate counts, presumptive coliform counts, and yeasts and mold counts of broiler carcasses. The effects of feed withdrawal period on bacterial numbers was also evaluated. Sampling methods evaluated were a surface swab technique, a whole carcass rinse procedure, a breast skin rinse procedure in which the skin was excised from the breast area, and a sample blending technique that involved breast skin excision and blending. Results from these trials indicated that the whole carcass rinse procedure yielded significantly greater recovery of aerobic mesophiles than the other methods evaluated. The recovery of coliforms was significantly greater when either the whole carcass rinse or the breast blend procedure was employed. The numbers of yeasts and molds present on the prechill carcass were extremely low, and results obtained using the various sampling methods were inconsistent. Regardless of sampling methodology and type of organism enumerated, the highest counts were obtained from broilers that had not been withdrawn from feed prior to processing.