Virtual eradication of psychrophilic and mesophilic bacteria on turkey carcass tails by steam and boiling water immersion

Virtual eradication of mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria on poultry mea t surfaces during processing is an achievable and necessary intervention en d point, rather than log reduction of bacteria achieved by less severe inte rventions tested to date, for meat to be used in further processed skinless , boneless products. A thermal destruction endpoint of <15 aerobic bacteria per cm(2) on turkey tail skin was achieved by two interventions. Boiling water immersion of tai ls for 3, 4, 5, or 6 min reduced aerobic plate count (APC) from 950 CFU/cm( 2) skin to an average of <10 CFU/cm(2) skin. Treatments lasting 3 min or mo re killed or inactivated virtually all mesophiles and psychrophiles (achiev ed <15 CFU/cm(2)) on turkey tail skin, with cooking of skin but no cooking of subcutaneous meat at 3 min exposure.