Free-range versus conventional: A comparison of microbial composition and Campylobacter contamination in broiler carcasses after chilling.

ABSTRACT: Farming systems are known to significantly influence gut microbiota composition and Campylobacter colonization in live broilers. However, little is known about how these effects persist or change after slaughter, particularly in shaping the carcass microbiota. This study investigated the occurrence and enumeration of Campylobacter, the overall bacterial community structure in carcasses from conventional and free-range broilers, and the influence of slaughter batch timing (early versus late) on contamination and microbiota composition. A total of 314 post-chilling carcass samples were analyzed: 160 from conventional and 154 from free-range production systems, each obtained from two slaughterhouses specialized in their respective production methods. On each sampling day, half of the carcasse

SUBMITTER: Hautefeuille S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12723032 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature