Survival of Clostridium perfringens During Preparation of Precooked Chicken Parts

Vegetative cells of Clostridium perfringens were completely destroyed and the number of viable spores was reduced by procedures used to process precooked chicken thighs and breasts. A mixed inoculum of vegetative cells of C. perfringens CDC strains 7947 and 7948 was killed in thighs and breasts cooked in water at 82 C for 20 min and at 93 C for 15 min. Heat-sensitive spores of C. perfringens strain 7947 were reduced to low levels after 43 min at 82 C and completely eliminated after 38 min at 93 C. Heat-resistant spores of C. perfringens strain 7948 were not reduced when water-cooked at 82 C for 50 min nor completely destroyed after 45 min at 93 C. C. perfringens 7948 spores survived during frozen storage of inoculated thighs which were cooked at 82 C for 20 min (40–50%) and at 93 C for 45 min (23–30%). Numbers of spores were further reduced after reheating frozen pieces at 192 C for 30 min. Thighs were coated with inoculated batter and breading and flash fried at 192 C for 30, 45, or 60 sec resulting in destruction of more than 99% of vegetative cells and more than 90% of heat-resistant spores.