Effect of freezing on incidence and levels of Clostridium perfringens in mechanically deboned chicken meat.

Paucity of information about the effect of plant practices on microbiological condition of comminuted chicken meat prompted this investigation. Commercially deboned chicken backs and necks were analyzed for levels of aerobic organisms, incidence and levels of Clostridium perfringens vegetative cells and spores before and after 4-6 weeks at -23 degrees C. Initially vegetative cells were isolated more frequently than spores. Frozen storage significantly reduced incidence and levels of vegetative cells and spores but did not affect levels of aerobic organisms. After frozen storage (a common industrial practice), with good food handling practices, C. perfringens should pose no undue hazard when comminuted chicken meat is incorporated into other food products.