OPPapers.com

Detection Of Salmonella Spp. On Dressed Chickens And Its Response To Selected Plant Extracts

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of the study

With the alarming increase of health threatening diseases caused by microbial organisms in the world, Philippines is one of the countries that has a rapid spread of different systematic bacterial diseases. Number of victims near Manila has risen to 1,447 as of February 2008 (Entis, 2008). Some of these contaminations are caused by Salmonella spp., a member of the family Enterobacteriacea, a fairly common cause of food poisoning (Burton and Engelkirk, 2004).

Early detection of the presence of Salmonella in food products is determined to protect the consumers from contaminated products that may lead to food poisoning. There is really a need to rapidly detect microbes to maintain food safety (Ramirez, 2000).

Poultry farms are considered as the most feasible breeding area for Salmonella bacteria (Food Standards Australia New Zealand [FSANZ], 2005). It was also stressed that Salmonella and Campylobacter are evaluated to be high in number with poultry farms. However, levels of Salmonella on poultry increases during transport from farm to processing plants.

Philippines, an agricultural country having a thousand agricultural activities around its regions, is highly triggered with Salmonella outbreak. Meat processing is one source of agricultural products that the country depends on in terms of meat consumption. As of 2005, there were four accredited meat processing plants acknowledged by the National Meat Inspection Service here in Davao.

In this concern, the study aims to detect the presence of Salmonella on the most consumed dressed chicken in Davao City and record the biological activities of selected plant extracts in the isolate.

2. Statement of the Problem

The study aims to detect the presence of Salmonella spp. from dressed chicken and determine its response to selected plant extracts.

Specifically, the study search for the answers to the following...