Advancing Poultry Food Safety - USPOULTRY Funds Innovative Plasma-Activated Antimicrobial Research Targeting Salmonella

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USPOULTRY continues to invest in innovative solutions to address the most pressing food safety challenges facing the poultry industry. One newly funded research project is taking a forward-looking approach to controlling Salmonella on raw poultry, exploring how emerging technologies can enhance antimicrobial effectiveness while aligning with sustainability goals.

Salmonella remains one of the most persistent and significant food safety concerns in poultry processing. Despite the widespread use of chemical antimicrobials such as peracetic acid (PAA), the pathogen can survive and persist through processing, creating ongoing risks for product safety and regulatory compliance. At the same time, both consumers and industry stakeholders are placing increasing emphasis on sustainability, driving demand for interventions that reduce chemical usage, minimize water consumption, and limit environmental impact without compromising food safety outcomes.

This newly funded project directly addresses several of USPOULTRY’s top research priorities, including the need to identify safe and effective antimicrobial interventions, improve post-chill handling practices, and reduce the prevalence of foodborne pathogens associated with poultry products. At the center of this effort is a novel technology known as cold plasma (CP).

Cold plasma, originally developed in the field of physics, generates reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) that can effectively inactivate bacteria. Unlike traditional chemical treatments, CP has the potential to eliminate pathogens without negatively affecting product quality. However, one of the primary challenges with this technology has been scalability. Producing sufficient plasma to treat large volumes of poultry in a commercial processing environment can require significant energy inputs, making direct application costly and impractical at scale.
To overcome this limitation, researchers are investigating an innovative approach: using cold plasma to “activate” commonly used antimicrobial solutions. These plasma-activated chemicals—including water, reduced-concentration peracetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide—retain enhanced antimicrobial properties after treatment, offering a potentially more efficient and cost-effective intervention strategy.

The Principal Investigator, Dr. Amit Morey, Associate Professor, along with graduate student Katherine Sofia Sierra at Auburn University, reported that preliminary findings from their lab have already demonstrated promising results. Early laboratory studies demonstrated that plasma-activated hydrogen peroxide was capable of reducing Salmonella populations by approximately 2 to 2.5 log CFU/mL on chicken skin and meat products. Building on these encouraging outcomes, the current project aims to expand and validate these findings under conditions more representative of commercial processing.

The research will focus on two primary objectives. First, the team will evaluate the effectiveness of plasma-activated chemicals in reducing Salmonella on raw poultry products. Second, they will assess the broader impact of these treatments on overall microbial load and shelf-life extension in raw chicken breast meat.

To conduct the study, researchers will utilize a specially designed cold plasma system capable of producing between 5 and 100 gallons per minute of activated solutions—an important step toward demonstrating scalability for industrial application. Various solutions, including water, reduced concentrations of peracetic acid (100–300 ppm), and 3% hydrogen peroxide, will be activated under optimized conditions.

Chicken breast fillets will be inoculated with Salmonella and treated with these plasma-activated solutions through a one-minute rinse. Microbial reductions will be measured using standard plating techniques, while additional samples will be monitored over time to evaluate shelf-life under refrigerated retail conditions. The study will track microbial growth until spoilage thresholds are reached, providing valuable data on how these treatments may extend product freshness.

Beyond measuring pathogen reduction, the project will also explore the underlying biological mechanisms driving these effects. RNA sequencing will be used to analyze how Salmonella responds at a molecular level following treatment, offering insight into bacterial stress responses and potential resistance pathways. In parallel, microbiome analysis will examine how plasma-activated treatments influence the broader microbial community on poultry products.

Importantly, the research also considers product quality—an essential factor for industry adoption. Evaluations will include measurements of color, texture, and sensory attributes to ensure that the treatments do not negatively impact consumer acceptance. Sensory panels will assess treated products using established hedonic scales, providing a comprehensive understanding of both safety and quality outcomes.

All experiments will be rigorously replicated and analyzed using established statistical methods. In addition, the data generated will support the development of predictive models for shelf-life, offering processors practical tools for decision-making.

The study is expected to conclude in the summer of 2028, providing a comprehensive dataset to support both scientific understanding and potential industry adoption.

Ultimately, this project represents a significant step toward the commercialization of next-generation antimicrobial technologies. By combining the proven efficacy of traditional chemicals with the enhanced functionality provided by cold plasma activation, the research has the potential to deliver a scalable, sustainable solution for controlling Salmonella in poultry processing.

As regulatory expectations continue to evolve and industry pressures mount, innovations like plasma-activated antimicrobials could play a critical role in helping poultry processors improve food safety performance while meeting sustainability goals. Through strategic investments in research such as this, USPOULTRY is helping to drive the development of practical, science-based solutions that support the long-term success of the industry.

USPOULTRY continues to invest in innovative solutions to address the most pressing food safety challenges facing the poultry industry. One newly funded research project is taking a forward-looking approach to controlling Salmonella on raw poultry, exploring how emerging technologies can enhance antimicrobial effectiveness while aligning with sustainability goals.

Salmonella remains one of the most persistent and significant food safety concerns in poultry processing. Despite the widespread use of chemical antimicrobials such as peracetic acid (PAA), the pathogen can survive and persist through processing, creating ongoing risks for product safety and regulatory compliance. At the same time, both consumers and industry stakeholders are placing increasing emphasis on sustainability, driving demand for interventions that reduce chemical usage, minimize water consumption, and limit environmental impact without compromising food safety outcomes.

This newly funded project directly addresses several of USPOULTRY’s top research priorities, including the need to identify safe and effective antimicrobial interventions, improve post-chill handling practices, and reduce the prevalence of foodborne pathogens associated with poultry products. At the center of this effort is a novel technology known as cold plasma (CP).

Cold plasma, originally developed in the field of physics, generates reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) that can effectively inactivate bacteria. Unlike traditional chemical treatments, CP has the potential to eliminate pathogens without negatively affecting product quality. However, one of the primary challenges with this technology has been scalability. Producing sufficient plasma to treat large volumes of poultry in a commercial processing environment can require significant energy inputs, making direct application costly and impractical at scale.
To overcome this limitation, researchers are investigating an innovative approach: using cold plasma to “activate” commonly used antimicrobial solutions. These plasma-activated chemicals—including water, reduced-concentration peracetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide—retain enhanced antimicrobial properties after treatment, offering a potentially more efficient and cost-effective intervention strategy.

The Principal Investigator, Dr. Amit Morey, Associate Professor, along with graduate student Katherine Sofia Sierra at Auburn University, reported that preliminary findings from their lab have already demonstrated promising results. Early laboratory studies demonstrated that plasma-activated hydrogen peroxide was capable of reducing Salmonella populations by approximately 2 to 2.5 log CFU/mL on chicken skin and meat products. Building on these encouraging outcomes, the current project aims to expand and validate these findings under conditions more representative of commercial processing.

The research will focus on two primary objectives. First, the team will evaluate the effectiveness of plasma-activated chemicals in reducing Salmonella on raw poultry products. Second, they will assess the broader impact of these treatments on overall microbial load and shelf-life extension in raw chicken breast meat.

To conduct the study, researchers will utilize a specially designed cold plasma system capable of producing between 5 and 100 gallons per minute of activated solutions—an important step toward demonstrating scalability for industrial application. Various solutions, including water, reduced concentrations of peracetic acid (100–300 ppm), and 3% hydrogen peroxide, will be activated under optimized conditions.

Chicken breast fillets will be inoculated with Salmonella and treated with these plasma-activated solutions through a one-minute rinse. Microbial reductions will be measured using standard plating techniques, while additional samples will be monitored over time to evaluate shelf-life under refrigerated retail conditions. The study will track microbial growth until spoilage thresholds are reached, providing valuable data on how these treatments may extend product freshness.

Beyond measuring pathogen reduction, the project will also explore the underlying biological mechanisms driving these effects. RNA sequencing will be used to analyze how Salmonella responds at a molecular level following treatment, offering insight into bacterial stress responses and potential resistance pathways. In parallel, microbiome analysis will examine how plasma-activated treatments influence the broader microbial community on poultry products.

Importantly, the research also considers product quality—an essential factor for industry adoption. Evaluations will include measurements of color, texture, and sensory attributes to ensure that the treatments do not negatively impact consumer acceptance. Sensory panels will assess treated products using established hedonic scales, providing a comprehensive understanding of both safety and quality outcomes.

All experiments will be rigorously replicated and analyzed using established statistical methods. In addition, the data generated will support the development of predictive models for shelf-life, offering processors practical tools for decision-making.

The study is expected to conclude in the summer of 2028, providing a comprehensive dataset to support both scientific understanding and potential industry adoption.

Ultimately, this project represents a significant step toward the commercialization of next-generation antimicrobial technologies. By combining the proven efficacy of traditional chemicals with the enhanced functionality provided by cold plasma activation, the research has the potential to deliver a scalable, sustainable solution for controlling Salmonella in poultry processing.

As regulatory expectations continue to evolve and industry pressures mount, innovations like plasma-activated antimicrobials could play a critical role in helping poultry processors improve food safety performance while meeting sustainability goals. Through strategic investments in research such as this, USPOULTRY is helping to drive the development of practical, science-based solutions that support the long-term success of the industry.

<Article Tags>

• Food Safety
• Salmonella
• Antimicrobial