Elimination of Salmonella contamination from poultry tissues by cetylpyridinium chloride solutions

The effects of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) on the inhibition and reduction of viable Salmonella typhimurium cells were studied. In these experiments skin excised from chicken drumsticks was treated with solutions of CPC. At the CPC concentrations used, the ability of this compound to reduce bacterial contamination was clearly demonstrated. This effect was both CPC concentration-and exposure-time-dependent. A 4.87-log reduction of viable S. typhimurium cells was achieved at a CPC concentration of 4 mg/ml at the treatment time of 3 min. Moreover, CPC was effective in preventing bacterial contamination, as shown by a 4.9-log inhibition of S. typhimurium cell attachment at a CPC concentration of 8 mg/ml and a treatment time of 10 min.