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 meat surfaces during processing is an achievable and necessary intervention end point, rather than log reduction of bacteria achieved by less severe interventions 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 tails 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 more killed or inactivated virtually all mesophiles and psychrophiles (achieved <15 CFU/cm(2)) on turkey tail skin, with cooking of skin but no cooking of subcutaneous meat at 3 min exposure.