A comparative evaluation of the sensitivity of Salmonella detection on processed chicken carcasses using Australian and US methodologies.

Aim:  To confirm the reliability and sensitivity of Salmonella testing of processed poultry in Australia. Methods and Results:  The detection of Salmonella in a whole carcass wash of 90 randomly selected processed broilers was compared using the Australian Standard method, an Australian industry method used by a major processor and the United States Department of Agriculture method published in the Federal Register. The sensitivity of each method was determined using a carcass wash containing a known number of Salmonella Typhimurium to determine the minimum concentration to be able to be identified as positive. The two Australian methods were found to be comparable with both the Australian methods detecting more positive carcasses than the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) method. The Australian methods were sensitive at the level of 1–3 CFU ml−1 and the USDA method was sensitive at 10–30 CFU ml−1. Conclusions:  The Australian Standard method and the Australian industry method were both able to detect Salmonella reliably even at a low level of contamination. Significance and Impact of the Study:  This study gives a high level of confidence both to the operators of poultry-processing plants and to regulators dependent upon the outcome of Salmonella testing for process control in Australia.