Distribution of “Attached” Salmonella typhimurium Cells Between Poultry Skin and a Surface Film Following Water Immersion

Abstract

Poultry skin was immersed in a saline solution (0.85%) containing 10⁸ Salmonella typhimurium/ml. After 0.25 min, 95% of the water uptake was in a surface film and 5% in the skin. After immersion for 30 and 60 min, a significant increase in total water uptake occurred at each immersion time. A significant increase in the surface film occurred after 30 min of immersion, but not from 30 to 60 min. After 0.25 min of immersion, 94% of bacterial cells was entrapped in the water film and 6% was on the skin. As immersion time increased, the percentage of bacteria in the surface film decreased, whereas the percentage on the skin increased. After 60 min of immersion, about 39% of bacterial cells was in the surface film and 61% was on the skin. These data indicate a possible transfer of water and bacteria from surface film to skin during prolonged water immersion. Preventing the formation of the surface film by altering surface tension may reduce carcass contamination during immersion processes.