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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 #370351
Research Project: Production and Processing Intervention Strategies for Poultry Associated Foodborne Pathogens

Location: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit

Title: Use of pressure with ambient or heated water to clean broiler carcasses on the slaughter side of the processing plant

Author
item COSBY, DOUGLAS
item MCINTYRE, MIKE - SPRAYING SYSTEMS, INC.
item DEVOLL, JOSH - SPRAYING SYSTEMS, INC.
item KOYUN, OSMAN - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item INGRAM, KIMBERLY
item HINTON JR, ARTHUR

Submitted to: World Congress of Food Science and Technology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/2020
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: n/a

Technical Abstract: The slaughter side of the processing plants is an overlooked area for controlling bacterial loads on broiler carcasses. The objective was to evaluate a low volume, fluidic nozzle with ambient water at 150 psi (Experiment 1) or heated water at 250 psi (Experiment 2) to remove bacteria from pre-scald, post-scald or post-pick carcasses. Carcasses (n=15/replication; 3 replications/experiment) were obtained from a local plant and transported to the laboratory. Carcasses were hung in standard shackles on a pilot processing line. Breast swabs (pre-moistened sponges) were collected before and after carcasses were washed. Sponge samples were assayed for total aerobic (TAC), Enterobacteriacea (ENT), E. coli (TEC) and Campylobacter (Campy) counts. Paired t-tests were conducted. In Experiment 1, significant differences (p<0.05) for TAC, ENT, TEC and Campy reduction (1.04, 0.9, 1.0 and 0.7 log1o cfu/mL, respectively) were observed for post- scald carcasses. In Experiment 2, significant reductions for TAC (2.0 and 1.3 log10 cfu/mL) were observed on pre- and post-scald carcasses and 0.8 log cfu/mL for TEC on post-scald carcasses. The redesigned cabinet combined with increased water pressure and temperature has the potential to reduce the bacterial load entering the evisceration line allowing later intervention strategies to be more efficacious.