Investigation of avian influenza viral ribonucleic acid destruction in poultry co-products under rendering conditions

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the time and temperature requirements needed to destroy avian influenza viral RNA in high-fat poultry tissues and to determine whether those conditions are met by rendering cooking processes. Because rendered poultry products are used worldwide for feed ingredients, it is imperative to validate the destruction of avian influenza viral RNA to ensure the safety of rendering co-products and avoid cyclic reinfection and disease in poultry, livestock, and potentially humans. Typical high-fat poultry offal was spiked with a known quantity of chemically inactivated, intact H5N9 low-pathogenicity avian influenza viral RNA. After subjecting the material to a variety of thermal doses, RNA was extracted from the material and assayed for the presence of the virus by using real-time reverse-transcription PCR. With thermal treatment at 100°C for 30 s or longer or at 110°C and above for 15 s or longer, the RNA of low-pathogenicity avian influenza virus A/Turkey/Wisconsin/68 H5N9, equivalent to 6 log10 of viable virus, was destroyed within the poultry rendering materials. These thermal treatment conditions are well below the range of temperatures and times used for rendering poultry carcasses and offal in the United States and Canada, where rendered materials are subjected to a heat treatment for a minimum of 30 min with a cooker exit temperature of not less than 118°C. © 2012 Poultry Science Association, Inc.