IPSF: Impact of peracetic acid storage conditions
The storage time and conditions of peracetic acid affect its efficacy against Campylobacter
6 May 2026
1 minute read
By: [Excerpts of a presentation by graduate students at the University of Georgia, USA, during the 2026 International Poultry Scientific Forum]
Peracetic acid (PAA) is a vital antimicrobial disinfectant utilized broadly within the poultry processing industry. Producers buy PAA in large volumes to supply their production over an allotted period. The goal of a study by Aaron R. Bodie and colleagues at the University of Georgia was to determine the effect of different storage conditions on the efficacy of PAA on Campylobacter jejuni subsp. jejuni (ATCC strain 81176) over time.
A 240,000 ppm (24%) PAA solution was placed under three different storage conditions: sun, room, and 4°C refrigeration over a 28-day period. This solution was split into triplicates for each condition. Chicken breast cutlets were weighed at 50 grams per cutlet with three cutlets per treatment. The breast cutlets were then inoculated with an average of 5.85 Log CFU/mL of C. jejuni for each timepoint from prepared inoculums.
PAA treatments had their initial concentration measured, recorded, and were then adjusted to a standard 300 ppm in bulk solutions to treat the breast cutlets after inoculation. Samples were dip treated with 300 ppm PAA treatments for 30 seconds and rinsed with buffered peptone water. Treatment rinsates were then incubated under microaerophilic conditions at 42°C for 48 hours.
Sampling took place on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Through days 0 to 28, the initial concentration of PAA across all conditions measured at 24% and by day 28 the ‘sun’ treatment conditions remained consistent, measuring 24%. Though there was a numerical difference, analysis revealed no statistical difference between initial concentrations of the different treatment groups.
When analyzing PAA over time and storage condition, the mean log reduction decreased from 3.401 log CFU/mL at day 0 to 0.324 log CFU/mL by day 28 in the refrigerator group. Analysis revealed a significant difference between C. jejuni reduction using PAA as a dip treatment based on day of usage. These results suggest that storage duration of PAA reduces efficacy against Campylobacter on poultry meat.
