Predictive modelling is used in microbiological risk assessment to quantify the growth and inactivation of microorganisms through the use of mathematical models. Campylobacter jejuni is one of the main foodborne pathogens and broiler meat is considered as the most important source of human campylobacteriosis. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of heating and chilling during the poultry slaughter process on inactivation kinetics of Campylobacter jejuni during chilled storage in order to predict its contamination level prior to preparation and consumption in the consumer's home, and then to assess the compliance to a Performance Objective (PO). Three strains of C. jejuni were submitted to consecutive heat (54 °C for 3 min) and cold (3 °C for 2 h) stresses, mimicking the two main slaughtering steps, i.e. scalding and chilling, by inoculating chicken fillets with three different concentrations (4, 6 and 8 log₁₀ CFU/g). Fillets were then stored at 6 °C during 17 days under the modified atmosphere currently used by food processors (70% O₂/30% CO₂). For all strains, bacterial log reduction was the lowest when inoculated at 8 log₁₀ CFU/g. One strain showed an enhanced resistance during cold storage after application of stressing steps, suggesting an impact of the cell history on further bacterial resistance. Taking strain variability into account, after six days of storage, predictions showed compliance of ready-to-be-cooked chicken meat with a hypothetical PO of 2.55 log₁₀ CFU/g, value set before the meat enters the consumer's home by the ICMSF (International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods). This study opens the path to assess the compliance to a PO of Campylobacter jejuni in poultry meat and more generally provides inputs to refine microbiological risk assessment by taking into account the cell history and more particularly the impact of stressful steps on the subsequent inactivation at consumer's home.

预测模型用于微生物风险评估，以通过使用数学模型来量化微生物的生长和灭活。空肠弯曲菌是主要的食源性病原体之一，肉类被认为是人类弯曲菌病的最重要来源。这项研究的目的是评估家禽屠宰过程中的加热和冷却对空肠弯曲杆菌灭活动力学的影响，以便在准备和消费之前在消费者家中预测空肠弯曲杆菌的污染水平，然后评估遵守绩效目标（PO）。三株空肠弯曲菌分别接受三种不同浓度（4、6和6）的鸡柳，使其经受连续的高温（54°C，3分钟）和冷（3°C，2小时）压力，模仿了两个主要的屠宰步骤，即烫伤和冷却。 8 log ₁₀ CFU / g）。然后将鱼片在食品加工商目前使用的改良气氛（70％O ₂ /30％CO ₂）下于6°C储存17天。对于所有菌株，接种8 log ₁₀时细菌对数减少最少CFU /克。在施加应激步骤后，一种菌株在冷藏期间显示出增强的抗性，表明细胞历史对进一步的细菌抗性有影响。考虑到菌株的变异性，在储存六天后，预测表明即煮鸡肉符合假设的PO 2.55 log ₁₀ CFU / g，这是ICMSF在肉类进入消费者家之前设定的值（国际食品微生物学规范委员会）。该研究为评估空肠弯曲菌PO的依从性开辟了道路。 家禽肉类中的“杀虫剂”，更普遍地提供了输入信息，以考虑到细胞的历史，尤其是压力步骤对随后在消费者家中失活的影响，从而改善了微生物风险评估。