Abstract:

In this study, the drum stick, skin and chest samples of frozen-packed, at -18 o C, chicken and turkey meat that had been purchased for the need of military units in Erzincan Base were investigated for the contamination levels with Salmonella spp. by conventional and molecular methods. For this purpose, 200 samples collected from the chicken and turkey carcasses that had been delivered to and kept as frozen in the military units were thawed at 2-8 o C. The drum stick, skin and chest samples taken from the carcasses were underwent selective and unselective pre-enrichment. Conventional culture method was used for isolation of the pathogen. The isolated bacteria were identified by biochemical tests and Salmonella rapid test. Furthermore, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was applied to the suspension of every sample taken from the Rappaport Vassiliadis Broth (RVB) at the selective enrichment step. In the cultural examinations, Salmonella spp. was isolated in 16 %, 7.5 % and 5.5 % of the chicken’s skin, drum stick and chest samples respectively. Salmonella spp. was not isolated in any of the culture of turkey’s drum stick, skin and chest samples. Salmonella spp. could not be detected in any of the samples by polymerase chain reaction. In conclusion, the technological and hygienic rules were strictly obeyed during the production and processing stages of the chicken and turkey meat served for the consumption in the Erzincan Base.

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