Reduction of inoculated Salmonella cocktail in ground turkey and turkey breasts using Lactobacillus-based intervention

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been shown to be inhibitory toward various pathogenic bacteria during refrigerated storage of ground beef samples and in subprimals. In this study, the effectiveness of a combination of 4 strains of Lactobacillus at reducing Salmonella in turkey products was evaluated to improve the final safety of the product. Turkey breasts (hot and chilled) were inoculated with a 3-strain Salmonella cocktail (Typhimurium ATCC 14028, Enteritidis PT 13 NVSL 96-18535, and Heidelberg 3347-1 Sheldon) and then treated with 1 x 10(6) cfu/cm(2) of a Lactobacillus-based intervention comprising NP51, NP35, NP3, and NP7 (Lactiguard, Nutrition Physiology Corp., Kansas City, MO). The turkey breasts were stored at either 5 degrees C to simulate refrigerated storage and sampled on d 0, 1, 2, and 3 or at 37 degrees C to simulate hot carcass applications and sampled at h 0, 2, and 4. Additionally, ground turkey was inoculated with a 3-strain Salmonella cocktail, treated with 1 x 10(6) cfu/g of the LAB intervention, and stored at 5 degrees C with sampling on d 0, 1, 2, and 3. The reduction of Salmonella in the turkey breasts stored at 5 degrees C treated with Lactobacillus was 2 log (P < 0. 05) compared with the control turkey breasts after d 2. Salmonella in the turkey breasts held at 37 degrees C was reduced by 1.5 log (P < 0.05) by h 2 and 2 log (P < 0.05) by h 4. The Salmonella in the ground turkey held at 5 degrees C using the LAB exhibited a 2 log (P < 0. 05) reduction compared with the control after d 1. These results show that the addition of a Lactobacillus-based treatment in turkey products significantly reduces Salmonella during storage.