Influence of Salmonella and Campylobacter on the microbiota response of chicken thighs treated with different antimicrobials

Aims To implement multi-hurdle technology, understanding their impact on microbiota composition is needed. The effects of peracetic acid (PAA) and acidified sodium chlorite (ASC) on Salmonella and Campylobacter inoculated chicken thigh microbiota were evaluated. Methods and Results S. Enteritidis, Heidelberg, Infantis, Kentucky, and Typhimurium or C. jejuni (109 and 107 CFU/mL) inoculated chicken thighs (per study: N = 180, n = 5, k = 9, 2-time points, 2 trials) were treated as: tap water (TW), TW + 800 or 1100 ppm of ASC (pH 2.4 and 2.8), and TW + 200, 350, 500, or 650 ppm PAA. Treated thighs were rinsed in nBPW at 0 and 24 h (4°C), and Salmonella and Campylobacter enumerated. Pathogen data were analyzed as linear mixed-effect model with means separated by Tukey’s HSD. Rinsate 16S rDNA sequencing was followed by QIIME2-2024.2 analysis. Both treatments significantly reduced pathogen counts (P < 0.05), with 350 and 650 ppm PAA being more effective on Salmonella (∼1.5 Log CFU/g at 0 and 24 h) and all ASC treatments on Campylobacter (∼2 Log CFU/g at 0 h). For Salmonella and Campylobacter, 500 ppm and 650 PAA altered microbial diversity and increased in ASC-treatments over 24 h (Q < 0.05). Regardless of inocula, 1100 ppm ASC reduced core features at 0 and 24 h. Brevibacillus, Paenibacillus, Bacillales, Bacillus, Bacillaceae, and Anaerinibacillus were affected among Salmonella thighs (P < 0.05). Flavobacterium were enriched among 1100 ppm ASC thighs with Campylobacter. Conclusions ASC may be more effective against Campylobacter and PAA against Salmonella, but spoilage microbial selection may occur.