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Title: Chemical additive to maximize antimicrobial effect of chlorine during pilot scale immersion chilling of broiler carcasses

Author
item SCHAMBACH, B - Former ARS Employee
item Berrang, Mark
item HARRISON, MARK - University Of Georgia
item Meinersmann, Richard - Rick

Submitted to: Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/6/2013
Publication Date: 1/27/2014
Citation: Schambach, B.T., Berrang, M.E., Harrison, M.A., Meinersmann, R.J. 2014. Chemical additive to maximize antimicrobial effect of chlorine during pilot scale immersion chilling of broiler carcasses. Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts. January 27-28, 2014. Atlanta, Georgia. P17.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A prior laboratory scale study demonstrated the potential for T-128, a proprietary blend including propylene glycol and phosphoric acid, to enhance the antimicrobial efficacy of chlorine during immersion chilling of broiler parts. The objective of the current study was to test the addition of T-128 to chlorine to limit cross contamination of broiler carcasses with Campylobacter and Salmonella during immersion chilling in a pilot scale system. Two identical paddle agitated chill tanks were filled with 75 L of tap water and 40 kg of ice. Chlorine was added to each tank to achieve 50-60 ppm free chlorine. T-128 at a concentration of 0.5% was added to one tank. Perforated paddles which rotate at a set speed kept carcasses separated in four different chill tank sections while allowing water and ice to mix freely. Six un-inoculated carcasses were placed into each of two non-contiguous sections of the chill tanks. Intervening sections were also filled with six carcasses, three of which were inoculated with approximately 6.0 log CFU antimicrobial resistant marker strains of Salmonella and Campylobacter the other three were un-inoculated companion carcasses. This allowed for cross contamination of companion carcasses by direct contact with inoculated carcasses and cross contamination of separated carcasses by chill-water-borne transfer. After a 45 min chill process, all carcasses were sampled by whole carcass rinse; rinsate was sampled for presence of the marked strains of Salmonella and Campylobacter. Three replications were conducted. After chilling, 94% of inoculated carcasses were positive for Salmonella in both the control and T-128 treated tanks. However, 83% of un-inoculated companion carcasses were positive when chilled with chlorine compared to just 33% of those chilled with the addition of T-128. Separated carcasses were also less likely to be Salmonella positive when T-128 was included in the chill water (0.8% vs 33%). For Campylobacter, all inoculated carcasses (100%) chilled with just chlorine were positive while only 44% of those treated with T-128 were found to be positive. Fifty-five percent of un-inoculated companion carcasses chilled in chlorine alone were positive for Campylobacter while 17% of those in the T-128 tank were positive. For water-borne cross contamination, rates of Campylobacter detection were 25% for the chlorine treatment and 0% for the T-128 treatment. Based on these data, it appears that the combination of 0.5% T-128 with chlorine is more effective than chlorine alone to prevent both carcass to carcass and water borne cross contamination of broiler carcasses with Salmonella and Campylobacter during immersion chilling.