Metagenomic insights into the microbial community dynamics during room-temperature thawing of Tibetan chicken meat

Thawing represents the reverse process of freezing and may influence the safety and nutritional quality of meat, as temperature fluctuations and ice melting can facilitate microbial proliferation. This study used metagenomic sequencing to analyze microbial community changes on Tibetan chicken during air-thawing. Results showed higher microbial richness and diversity at the half-thawed stage compared to frozen or fully thawed states. At the phylum level, Chlamydiota dominated throughout, while Pseudomonadota , Bacteroidota , Actinomycetota , and Deinococcota exhibited a significant proliferation trend during the half-thawing phase. Species analysis revealed peaks of foodborne pathogens (e.g., Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae ) and spoilage bacteria (e.g., Psychrobacter sanguinis and Pseudomonas sp. 382) at the half-thawed stage, identifying it as a critical control point for microbial risks. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that the microorganisms were mainly involved in amino acid and energy-related metabolic pathways. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Kaistella , Psychrobacter , and Escherichia were significantly positively correlated with amino acid metabolic pathways. Based on these findings, three intervention strategies were proposed, including reducing thawing time, inhibiting the microorganisms strongly associated with amino acid metabolism, and strengthening environmental hygiene control. This study provides insights for optimizing the chicken thawing process and improving microbial safety control measures. • Half-thawed group shows highest microbial diversity during thawing. • Chlamydiota dominates microbial communities across thawing stages. • Amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism peak in half-thawed group. • Pathogen abundance shifts dynamically during thawing.