A new disinfectant technique for Campylobacter jejuni and spoilage bacteria on chicken skin using a high-pressure pulsed jet spray apparatus

Effects and health risk assessments of different spray disinfectants on microbial aerosols in chicken houses

This study aims to explore the effects of spray processes with four different disinfectants on airborne culturable and pathogenic microbial concentrations, microbial community compositions and health risk assessments in chicken houses. Results indicate that compared to the microbial concentrations before spraying, hypochlorous acid, glutaraldehyde-decamethonium bromide and sodium dichloroisocyanate increase culturable bacteria, culturable fungi, airborne Staphylococcus and Candida albicans, respectively. Beyond that, the spray processes with different disinfectants have no significant effects on the microbial concentrations. The total relative abundances (RAs) of the screened out 46 pathogenic bacterial genera decrease after spraying with povidone iodine, while increase after spraying with the other three disinfectants, which is opposite for the 35 pathogenic fungal genera. The core bacterial or fungal genera principally interrelate with each other through cooperation. Ammonia (NH3) concentrations, relative humidity (RH) and temperature (T) influence bacterial communities in aerosols; while fungal communities are mainly affected by T, particulate matters and nitrous oxide (N2O) concentrations. Long-term exposure to aerosols in chicken houses have potential adverse effects on human health and the spray processes with different disinfectants exacerbate the health risks of aerosols via inhalation. Hence, different spray disinfectants cannot significantly reduce the microbial aerosols in real chicken farm environments and the cleaning procedures should be comprehensively reviewed and optimized in livestock and poultry farms.

Photodynamic inactivation of edible photosensitizers for fresh food preservation: Comprehensive mechanism of action and enhancement strategies

Foodborne harmful bacteria not only cause waste of fresh food, but also pose a major threat to human health. Among many new sterilization and preservation technologies, photodynamic inactivation (PDI) has the advantages of low-cost, broad-spectrum, energy-saving, nontoxic, and high efficiency. In particular, PDI based on edible photosensitizers (PSs) has a broader application prospect due to edible, accessible, and renewable features, it also can maximize the retention of the nutritional characteristics and sensory quality of the food. Therefore, it is meaningful and necessary to review edible PSs and edible PSs-mediated PDI, which can help to arouse interest and concern and promote the further development of edible PSs-mediated PDI in the future field of nonthermally sterilized food preservation. Herein, the classification and modification of edible PSs, PS-mediated in vivo and PS-mediated in vitro mechanism of PDI, strengthening strategy to improve PDI efficiency by the structure change synergistic and multitechnical means, as well as the application in fresh food preservation were reviewed systematically. Finally, the deficiency and possible future perspectives of edible PSs-mediated PDI were articulated. This review aimed to provide new perspective for the future food preservation and microbial control.

Effect of Slightly Acidic Electrolyzed Water Immersion at Different Frequencies on Quality of Raw Chicken Legs

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) is used as a disinfectant for raw chicken meat. Because its volume for a single immersion exceeds 10 times the weight of meat, a large amount of wastewater is generated. Importantly, a higher frequency of immersion is believed to reduce microbial contamination. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of SAEW immersion at different frequencies on the disinfection and quality of raw chicken legs, thereby possibly limiting the usage of SAEW. Immersion for 1, 3, and 5 times, with a 7:1 SAEW:meat ratio, and duration of 15 min was tested. Meat quality was evaluated based on total aerobic bacteria, Enterobactericeae, total volatile basic nitrogen, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and color. A higher immersion frequency lowered the numbers of total aerobic bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae. Moreover, two immersions with a SAEW:meat ratio of 4:1 and a total immersion time of 6 min reduced the bacterial load as effectively as a single 15-min immersion with a SAEW:meat ratio of 7:1. Higher frequencies of SAEW immersion also resulted in lower total volatile basic nitrogen and lipid oxidation after 0 or 3 days of storage. They did, however, magnify the change in color, resulting in brighter meat. Overall, SAEW treatments with two to five immersions can improve the quality of raw chicken legs and reduce wastewater generation.