How to Test Chicken Feed for Salmonella

The contamination of salmonella in chicken feed could occur if the feed were dropped on the ground where chickens once lived and pooped. Salmonella naturally occurs in nature and lives in the intestines of warm- and cold-blooded animals including chickens. Salmonella is therefore found in the soil of dirt where chickens and other animals once lived. The problem with salmonella occurs when it is eaten by the animal. Salmonella is killed when chicken meat is cooked, so although it would not be a problem for human consumption, the chicken would not be healthy and would likely die if it ate food that came in contact with salmonella.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 salmonella test strip
  • 5 ounces soy peptone or salmonella enrichment broth
  • Syringe
  • Test tube or small jar with lid
  • 1 plastic freezer bag
  • 10 ml tetrathionate or hajna broth
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the chicken feed sample in the freezer bag and pour the soy peptone or salmonella enrichment broth in the bag. Place it in an oven or incubator set to 110 degrees Fahrenheit for five hours.

    • 2

      Take one milliliter of the broth from the bag with the syringe and squirt it into one of the test tubes or small jars.

    • 3

      Add 10 milliliters of tetrathionate or hajna broth to the jar or test tube with the broth sample and close the lid. Place the jar in an oven or incubator at 110 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 hours.

    • 4

      Place the test strip in the jar or test tube and wait 10 minutes. The test strip will likely have a control line that will show up regardless of the test results. If only this line shows, the results are negative for salmonella. If two lines show, the results are positive for salmonella. If no lines show up, the test is invalid and should be taken again.