Microbiome characterization of poultry products based on the poultry part and production label

: Poultry is one of the most consumed meats worldwide and there are many different types of poultry products available on the market for consumers. Many poultry producers provide a variety of labeled meats based on rearing system such as organic, free-range and antibiotic-free. However, these labels often can be misleading by implying organic products are better in safety and quality compared to poultry products without additional labels. In this study, the microbiological profiles of commercial poultry products were characterized via a next generation sequencing. A variety of poultry products including whole carcass, leg, breast and thigh were purchased from local markets and subdivided by labels indicating organic, non-antibiotic, free range and no-label. According to the microbiome analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene, similar level of species richness were observed in comparison by labels, however, different parts and producers exhibited significant differences. Also, microbial similarities among groups were measured and most samples showed relatively close clustering based on the poultry part and the producer. The results emphasize potential contamination routes and the importance of the control strategy during the pre-harvest step of poultry products. The results also envision potential opportunities to improve current production procedure being utilized by industries.