Thermal inactivation of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in ground chicken thigh/leg meat and skin

Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA. rymurph@uark.edu

Thermal inactivation D and z values of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes were obtained for chicken thigh and leg meat and skin. The D values of Salmonella at 55 to 70 degrees C were 43.33 to 0.07 min in the meat and 43.76 to 0.09 min in the skin. The D values of L. monocytogenes at 55 to 70 degrees C were 38.94 to 0.04 min in the meat and 34.05 to 0.05 min in the skin. The z value of Salmonella was 5.34 degrees C in the meat and 5.56 degrees C in the skin. The z value of L. monocytogenes was 5.08 degrees C in the meat and 5.27 degrees C in the skin. For Salmonella or L. monocytogenes, the z value of the meat was not different from that of skin. However, the z value of Salmonella in meat or skin was different from that of L. monocytogenes in meat or skin. The z value of Salmonella or L. monocytogenes in chicken thigh and leg meat was different from that in the skin. The results from this study are useful for predicting process lethality of Salmonella and L. monocytogenes in products that contain chicken thigh and leg meat or skin.