Inactivation of Salmonella and Listeria in ground chicken breast meat during thermal processing

Thermal inactivation of six Salmonella spp. and Listeria innocua was evalua ted in ground chicken breast and liquid medium. Survival of Salmonella and Listeria was affected by the medium composition. Under the same thermal pro cess condition, significantly more Salmonella and Listeria survived in chic ken breast meat than in 0.1% peptone-agar solution. The thermal lethality o f six tested Salmonella spp. was additive in chicken meat. Survival of List eria in chicken meat during thermal processing was not affected by the pres ence of the six Salmonella spp. Sample size and shape affected the inactiva tion of Salmonella and Listeria in chicken meat during thermal processing.