[A comparison of 3 isolation methods for the demonstration of Salmonella bacteria in fryer-chicken feed].

167 Samples of fryer chicken feed were examined for the presence of Salmonella using three different methods of isolation. These methods consisted in the isolation of Salmonella using procedure ISO-3565, this method but supplemented by treatment with hydrogen sulphide (ISO + H2S) and the membrane filter disc immuno-immobilisation method (MFDI). In addition, thirty-three samples were examined by the ISO and ISO + H2S techniques. 200 Grams of feed of each sample were studied. A total number of fifteen samples (7.5 per cent) were found to be positive for Salmonella, thirteen of which were examined by the ISO-3565 method of isolation of Salmonella. When the other methods were employed, only five samples were found to be positive for Salmonella using the ISO + H2S technique and two using the MFDI method. When all three methods were used, they failed to produce positive results in each sample which had been found to be positive for Salmonella. The differences in the number of positive samples were found to be significantly (P less than 0.01) in favour of the ISO method. When a choice has to be made between the method used in the detection of Salmonella, the ISO-3565 method of isolating Salmonella is to be preferred.