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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #381574
Research Project: Monitoring and Molecular Characterization of Antimicrobial Resistance in Foodborne Bacteria

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Title: Placement of organic acid in the cloaca prior to scalding reduces Campylobacter contamination of skin during defeathering

Author
item Berrang, Mark
item Cox Jr, Nelson
item Meinersmann, Richard - Rick
item Hinton Jr, Arthur

Submitted to: Poultry USA
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Campylobacter numbers on broiler carcasses can increase dramatically during defeathering because of leakage of contaminated gut contents in the feather-picking machine. Food grade organic acids have been shown to be effective in killing bacteria. Placement of organic acids into the cloaca prior to defeathering was tested to determine if such a treatment could lower the number of Campylobacter that escape and contaminate broiler breast skin during automated feather removal. Campylobacter numbers on the breast skin of treated carcasses increased during defeathering but resulted in numbers that were only about 2% of those observed on control carcasses. Placement of food-grade organic acids in the cloaca of broiler carcasses may be useful as a means to lessen the impact of automated defeathering on the microbiological quality of carcasses during processing.