Environmental Dissemination of Foodborne Salmonella in Preharvest Poultry Production: Reservoirs, Critical Factors, and Research Strategies

Abstract

The impact of potential pathogenic foodborne Salmonella spp. in poultry production environments is of paramount importance, considering its implications for human health. Most of what is known about this organism under these environmental conditions is based on indirect evidence. The overall focus of this review is on the biology of potentially pathogenic foodborne Salmonella spp. in poultry environments. This is not just because of the implications regarding pathogenic Salmonella spp. for poultry production and food safety but because Salmonella spp. behavior may serve as a model for understanding general bacterial pathogen persistence in animal agricultural environments. This will help meet a long-term need to develop a comprehensive ecological picture of the contamination potential, growth, survival, and genetic stability of pathogens in poultry and other animal production environments. This will in turn lead to a better understanding of the environmental and health impacts of foodborne Salmonella spp. dissemination in animal production environments.

KEY WORDS:

• environment
• foodborne Salmonella
• poultry
• preharvest
• reservoirs

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This review was supported by funds from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's Advanced Technology Program (grant 999902-165), the Research Enhancement Program grant of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station of the Texas A&M University System (grant 2-102), a Hatch grant H8311 administered by the by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, and the USDA-NRI (grants 2001-02614). S. Y. Park was supported by a Pilgrim's Pride (Pittsburg, TX) endowed graduate fellowship. We thank Dr. Wayne Jordan (Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas A&M University) for his encouragement and financial support during the writing of a part of this review for a preliminary report to the Texas Water Resources Institute.

Current address for S. Y. Park is Food Resources Institute, Chung-Ang University, 72-1 Nae-ri, Daeduk-myun, Ansung, Kyunggido 456-756, Korea; for S. G. Birhold, Product Technology Center, Nestlé Purina PetCare, 3916 Pettis Road, St. Joseph, MO 64503; and for S. C. Ricke, Center for Food Safety, IFSE and Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72704, USA.