Quantitative analysis of Campylobacter spp. contamination in chicken slaughtering lines by “label tracking method” in eastern China

Campylobacter contamination of poultry meat occurs vastly and inevitably in chicken slaughtering line. The aim of this study was to determine the quantification of Campylobacter spp. contamination levels in chicken slaughtering lines by a “label tracking method”, in eastern China. From the six critical slaughtering steps in 4 slaughtering house, a total of 1260 samples were collected in 236 sampling chicken. Results showed that Campylobacter may propagate in each slaughtering step with a high prevalence (≥83.05%). Both the highest Campylobacter-positive rate and the concentration of isolates were detected at the point of evisceration (97.46%; 2.80 ± 2.52 Log10 CFU/100 cm2), the Campylobacter contamination was mitigated after washing and chilling. However, after flash-freezing, the positive rate of Campylobacter was return to a high value while the concentration was reduced, and frozen storage has been confirmed allowing a mitigation on Campylobacter prevalence, qualitatively and quantitatively. Furthermore, the dynamic variation rule of Campylobacter prevalence obtained from different slaughtering environments was consistent with the rule identified from the corresponding slaughtered poultry. Campylobacter isolates obtained from different slaughtering processes in one slaughter-batch chicken were shown with above 90% homology, pointing to a potential source of contamination. Interventions are needed to minimize Campylobacter contamination, especially in washing, chilling, and frozen storage processes. Our study highlights the quantification of Campylobacter spp. contamination levels in broilers slaughtering line, which would provide quantitative data for the further studies on poultry meat safety control.