Effect of Natural Antimicrobials on the Reduction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Frozen Chicken Products

Pseudomonas is a food-poisoning microorganism that poses a threat to people's health. This study's goal was to assess the variety and occurrence of Pseudomonas species, with a focus on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which was found to be contaminating frozen poultry products during storage in some markets. 200 frozen chicken product samples, including 40 of each type (breast, thigh, burger, pane, and kofta), were gathered from various stores in the Faiyoum government, Egypt, throughout 2022. Pseudomonas species were isolated from a total of 39.5% of all samples tested, according to the findings. Bacteriological and biochemical analyses revealed the main isolated pseudomonas spp. to be P. aeruginosa (36.7%), followed by P. fluorescens (30.4%), P. putida (15.2%), and P. diminuta (6.3%). Antibiotic sensitivity affirmed the higher sensitivity of the isolates to various antibacterial drugs utilized in Egypt, comprising Tetracycline, Ampicillin, and Penicillin (100%) and being followed by Sulfamethoxazole (86.2%), Chloramphenicol (62%), and Streptomycin (51.15%). On the other hand, Amikacin (86.2%) and Norfloxacin (74.9%) were found to have the highest sensitivity. P. aeruginosa strains that were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were positive for the 16S rDNA unique to P. aeruginosa and carried the toxR (50%) and exoS (30%) virulence genes. Chicken fillets dipped in lemon juice and pomegranate peel extract (PPE) at 5% for 36 hours decreased the P. aeruginosa count by 62.4% and 56.4%, respectively. In conclusion, the current research confirms the contamination of frozen chicken products by Pseudomonas species. Immersion of chicken fillet in lemon juice (5% w/v) and PPE (5% w/v) can increase its quality and lengthen its shelf life by improving its sensual characteristics and implementing a successful approach for reducing P. aeruginosa in chicken products.