Occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in chicken breast meat and the influence of different thawing techniques on its survival rate

In view of the great demand for frozen poultry meat, particularly chicken breasts, it’s necessary to warrant its suitability and safety for human consumption when subjected to thawing in various ways. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) poses an increasing risk to public health, poultry production, and meat industry due to its pathogenicity and food poisoning exacerbated by multi-drug resistance. S. aureus was isolated from 46.8 % (29/62) of meat samples and 93 % (27/29) of these isolates showed coagulase reactivity. The 23S rRNA gene was found in 6/10 isolates. Two or Three of these isolates was used to study the effect of different thawing practices on the sensory and physicochemical features and safety of frozen chicken breast meat. Both visual inspection and bacteriological re-isolation revealed a strong efficacy of microwave oven in fast thawing and reduction of S. aureus count with a 99.6% inhibitory effect. Fridge showed good efficiency in reducing drip loss, keeping water holding capacity (WHC), decreasing pH, and lowering S. aureus count by 35%. Water streaming and 25oC elevated the drip loss, WHC, and massively multiplied the bacterial number. This reflects the importance of thawing practice for meat quality and safety.