Decontamination of bovine hide surfaces for enhancing food safety: Use of alkyltrimethylammonium bromide and chlorhexidine digluconate

This study evaluated the efficacy of alkyltrimethylammonium-bromide (ATMB) and chlorhexidine-digluconate (CDG) to reduce pathogens of meat safety concerns in solution and on hides. In solution, ATMB at 50 and 250 ppm reduced individual cocktails of Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes at averages of 1.77 and 3.76, 1.11 and 5.78, 0.52 and 2.55 log CFU/mL respectively after 5 min, where CDG at 250 and 500 ppm reduced S. enterica and E. coli O157:H7 at averages of 1.14 and 2.52, 1.00 and 1.63 log CFU/mL respectively. Treatment with 6,000 ppm ATMB for 5 min reduced S. enterica, E. coli and L. monocytogenes on inoculated hide surfaces at averages of 0.40, 1.77 and 2.05 log CFU/cm2 respectively, relative to a water-only control. Similarly, 1,000 ppm CDG resulted maximum reductions in S. enterica, E. coli of 2.82, 2.41 log CFU/cm2 in 5 min and L. monocytogenes of 2.18 log CFU/cm2 in 3 min respectively from the inoculated haired surface of hide. •The efficacy of two antimicrobials (ATMB & CDG) on pathogen reduction are tested.•Treatment reduces Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes.•Reduction of pathogens in solution and on haired surface of hide is observed in short time.•Non-toxic cattle decontamination spray formulation can potentially be developed.