LAUSR

Abstract The present study was conducted to investigate the virulent effects of SE-P3, P16, P37, and P47 phages specific to Salmonella Enteritidis, alone or as a cocktail on raw chicken meat and chicken skin. Chicken meat and skin artificially contaminated with 103 and 106 log CFU/g or cm2 Salmonella were treated with SE-phages at a level of 109 PFU/g or cm2 and then the samples were stored at 4 °C for 8 days and 25 °C for 4 days. The infective effects of SE-phages for prevention of contamination during or before contamination at 4 °C were also determined. SE-phages reduced the number of viable Salmonella cells in the samples containing Salmonella at 103 CFU/g to an undetectable level throughout storage at 4 and 25 °C. In samples containing 106 CFU/g or cm2 Salmonella, SE-phages decreased the number of host cells by 4.11-6.42 log CFU/g or cm2 on the first day of storage. Furthermore, SE-phages have been found to effectively prevent subsequent Salmonella contamination at 4 °C. This study showed that SE-P3, P16, P37, and P47 phages have the potency to be used as a biocontrol strategy to control Salmonella in the poultry industry.