Variability within the dominant microbiota of sliced cooked poultry products at expiration date in the Belgian retail

Sliced cooked poultry products are susceptible to bacterial spoilage, notwithstanding their storage under modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) in the cold chain. Although the prevailing bacterial communities are known to be mostly consisting of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), more information is needed about the potential variation in species diversity within national markets. In the present study, a total of 42 different samples of sliced cooked poultry products were collected in the Belgian retail and their bacterial communities were analysed at expiration date. A total of 629 isolates from four different culture media, including plate count agar for the total microbiota and de Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS), modified MRS, and M17 agar as three selective agar media for LAB, were subjected to (GTG)5-PCR fingerprinting and identification by gene sequencing. Overall, Carnobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Leuconostoc were the dominant genera. Within each genus, the most encountered isolates were Carnobacterium divergens, Lactobacillus sakei, and Leuconostoc carnosum. When comparing samples from chicken origin with samples from turkey-derived products, a higher dominance of Carnobacteria spp. was found in the latter group. Also, an association between the dominance of lactobacilli and the presence of added plant material and lactate salts was found.