Use of lytic bacteriophages to reduce Salmonella Enteritidis in experimentally contaminated chicken cuts

Abstract

Chicken skin samples were experimentally contaminated by immersing whole legs (thighs and drumsticks) in a suspension containing 106 CFU/ml of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 (SE PT4) on slaughter day. One day later, samples from one group were immersed in a suspension pool containing 109 CFU/ml of each of 3 wild Salmonella-lytic bacteriophages previously isolated from the faeces of free ranging chickens. The chicken cuts were then dried and stored in plastic bags at 5°C for 15 days. Salmonella counting was performed at 3-day intervals. A significant reduction (P<0.05) of SE PT4 in bacteriophage-treated cuts was observed on days 3, 6 and 9 posttreatment (reduced by 2.27, 4.56 and 4.49 times), respectively. These findings suggest that the use of bacteriophages may reduce SE PT4 in chicken skin. Further studies are encouraged and might demonstrate the potential of this approach as an efficient and safe technique to be routinely used for Salmonella control in chicken products.