Isolation and identification of some phenotypic features of Pseudomonas in poultry slaughter line

Pseudomonas are among psychrophilic bacteria and have been reported in various studies as the predominant spoilage bacterial in slaughter carcass. The aim of this study was to track Pseudomonas spp. from different stages of the slaughter line, slaughterhouse environment and equipment and drop in the packaging. Characteristics such as pigment production, movement pattern and biofilm formation capability of the isolates were also determined. For this purpose, 108 samples were sampled from three industrial poultry slaughterhouses in Tabriz. According to the results, the highest contamination was detected in the samples of the floors, abdominal cavity of carcass and drip samples, respectively. The lowest contamination was observed in the samples related to drinking water, live chicken breast swab and scalder, respectively. The average movement of the Swimming type was significantly (p ≤ 0.001) higher than the two types of Swarming and Twitching movements. And in terms of pigment production, the dominant color was green. Moreover, most of the isolates were able to form biofilms and about 30% of the isolates had moderate and strong ability to produce biofilms. In conclusion, most of the Pseudomonas spp. contamination occurs through different parts of the slaughter line and also the equipment and environment of the slaughterhouse. Due to the biofilm production capacity of Pseudomonas isolates, the issue of proper and more effective washing and disinfection of the slaughter line and equipment is of particular importance.