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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #336088
Research Project: Production and Processing Intervention Strategies for Poultry Associated Foodborne Pathogens

Location: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit

Title: Impacct of scalding duration and scalding water temperature on broiler processing wastewater loadings

Author
item HARRIS, CAITLIN - University Of Georgia
item GOTILLA, KEVIN - University Of Georgia
item Bourassa, Dianna
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff
item KIEPPER, BRIAN - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/2/2016
Publication Date: 1/30/2017
Citation: Harris, C.E., Gotilla, K.A., Bourassa, D.V., Buhr, R.J., Kiepper, B.H. 2017. Impacct of scalding duration and scalding water temperature on broiler processing wastewater loadings [abstract]. Poultry Science. 96(E-Suppl.1):M12. p.5.

Interpretive Summary: none

Technical Abstract: The effects of scalding water temperature and immersion time on impact to poultry processing wastewater (PPW) loading were evaluated following the slaughter of commercially raised broilers. Based on previous research, the hypothesis was that immersion time would have a significant impact on PPW loading compared to water temperature. On 3 separate weeks (trials), feed withdrawn broilers were weighed, shackled, electrically stunned, and bled for 2 min (N = 240 broilers, 80 broilers/trial). During each trial, 20 broilers were assigned to one of four immersion scalding temperature/time protocols: Hard Scald/Short Time (60oC for 1.5 min), Hard Scald/Long Time (60oC for 3 min), Soft Scald/Long Time (53oC for 3 min), or Soft Scald/Short Time (53oC for 1.5 min). Each batch was scalded in 3 successive scalding tanks set at the same temperature. Immediately following each treatment batch, a representative 1L sample of PPW from each 740L scalding tank was collected and placed on ice. The water in each scalding tank was emptied, the tanks rinsed, refilled, and reheated between each batch. All samples were stored at 4oC and analyzed for concentration (mg/L) of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids (TS) and total suspended solids (TSS). Resulting concentration data were used to calculate the corresponding PPW load value in grams per kilogram of live weight (g/kglwt). Post-feed withdrawal mean live weights for the 3 trials were 2.321 kg, 2.496 kg, and 2.546 kg. Results showed that the mean TS PPW load in scalding Tank 1 produced during the Long Time treatments (2.580 g/kglwt) was significantly (P=0.05) higher than the Short Time treatments (1.770 g/kglwt). No other significant differences were found when comparing temperature or time treatments for any of the parameters tested. Scald tank position within the 3-tank sequence also had a significant impact on PPW loading. In all treatments combined, the first scald tank had significantly (P=0.05) greater COD (1.056 g/kglwt), TS (2.177 g/kglwt) and TSS (0.384 g/kglwt) mean loading compared to the second and third scald tanks, which were not significantly different from each other. Results confirmed the hypothesis that scalding immersion time (3 vs. 1.5 min) has a significantly greater impact on TS PPW loading rates than water temperature.