THE POTENTIAL USE OF NISIN TO CONTROL LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES IN POULTRY

Nisin (Nisaplin(TM)) was added to scald water and used to treat Lister ia monocytogenes which were either directly suspended in the water or attached to turkey skin. There was at least a 1 log decrease of lister ia for the nisin treatments. This was followed by further reductions w hen the samples were stored under refrigeration. Heat exhibited a syne rgistic relationship with the nisin when the cells were directly suspe nded in the scald water. A 2 log decrease was observed immediately aft er this treatment and there was complete elimination of the listeria a fter 48 h of refrigeration. However, this relationship was not as obvi ous when the cells were first attached to the turkey skin. In these la tter experiments, the nisin treatments resulted in reductions in the l isteria levels but they were smaller than those observed when the cell s were directly suspended in the scald water.