For Immediate Release
June 6, 2002

A&T FOOD SCIENTIST CHOSEN TO PRESENT AT NATIONAL MEETING

Greensboro, NC: A food safety researcher at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University was chosen to present research findings related to the safety of poultry products in the nation’s grocery stores, at a national conference.

Dr. Ipek Goktepe, an assistant professor in A&T’s School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, presented research entitled, “Extending the Shelf-Life of Chicken Using Biopreservatives,” to the American Society for Microbiology at that organization’s annual meeting in Salt Lake City.

Goktepe’s research focuses on the biopreservation of chicken products with bifidobacteria, natural flora in the human intestinal tract that control foodborne bacteria, in combination with organic acid salts. She believes that this technique has potential application as a low-cost means to extend the shelf life of poultry products.

“Our research has shown that this technique suppressed bacterial growth and maintained quality of chicken for up to nine days of storage at refrigeration temperature,” said Goktepe. “Overall, the shelf life of chicken treated with bifidobacteria and organic acid salts was extended by three additional days as compared to untreated chicken samples.”

According to Goktepe, consumer tests revealed higher acceptability ratings for samples treated using this technique versus untreated chicken samples.

“If we are successful in proving this technique to be safe, and it gains acceptance by USDA, the benefits would be twofold,” said Goktepe. “Consumers would enjoy improved quality in the chicken they buy, and they would be able to keep it longer. Plus, there would be less waste among grocers who must discard chicken once it passes a certain number of days on the shelf.”

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For more information, please contact Mitch Arnold, (336) 334-7049.