Spoilage of cooked poultry products

Microbiological content of cooked products are affected by the method of processing, packaging and storage. (Denton and Gardner, 1982; Tompkin, 1986; Johnston and Tompkin, 1992). All the products in this catergory should be cooked at a time and temperature to obtain a cooked appearance, appropriate tenderness, and other desirable organoleptic qualities. In addition, the processes should also be adequate to destroy enteric pathogens like Salmonellae, C. jejuni, L. monocytogenes and Staph. aureus which normaly found in raw poultry.
Vegetative bacteria and some spores on the surface of the poultry products are killed during cooking, but some like enterococci, Lactobacillus viridescens in the center of the product may survive depending on the thermal process. Thermal processes are not adequate to ensure the destruction of spore-forming pathogens like CL. perfringens and CL. botulinum. Cooked products are subject to post-process contamination during slicing and packaging.
When chicken is subjected to frying in oil, temperature at the geometric center usually reach 93ºC or higher, which is lethal to vegetative bacteria but not to spores. These products are also subjected to post-process contamination during subsequent handling and packaging.
Common microogranisms that are involved in cooked poultry can be classified into 2 groups: 1) Enteric pathogens and Staph. aureus that are present in raw poultry and which could contaminate the products after cooking; 2) Psychrotrophic pathogens which can establish themselves in the cooked product environment e.g. L. monocytogenes.
Other possible pathogens arre like CL. botulinum, CL. perfringens and B.cereus which are spore-forming which can survive during the cooking of the perishable poultry products.
To ensure the microbiological safety and quality of the cooked poultry products , HACCP are used. The HACCPs used are:

1. To ensure the use of a thermal process that destroys non-spore-forming pathogens
2. Control the chiling step to prevent the multipication of mesophilic spore-forming pathogens
3. Prevent cross-contamination from raw meats to cooked product
4. Control the environment and handling of cooked products to minimize contamination with L.monocytogenes
5. Control storage and distribution times and temp. which will ensure microbiological safety
6. Provide food hadling and preparation procedurs to the end users.