SURVIVAL OF CAMPYLOBACTER-JEJUNI IN CHICKEN CARCASSES DURING MICROWAVE COOKING

Chicken half carcasses (n = 108) were artificially contaminated with t hree strains of Campylobacter jejuni and were heated in a microwave ov en (TEC-Mikrowellenherd, type 5011, 930 W, 2450 MHz, Germany) for 4 - 14 minutes. After a specified time of microwave heating, the half carc asses were left for two more minutes in switch - off oven to equalize meat temperature. The number of survived Campylobacter jejuni cells wa s determined by two methods. It was evident that in all three examined strains of Campylobacter jejuni, the decrease in the number of bacter ia occured in a shorter time on the inner surface (body cavity) of car casses than on the outer one. Results showed that microwave heating at 10 - 14 minutes (method I) and at 10 - 12 minutes (method II) caused the death of all Campylobacter jejuni strains in all experimental seri es.