Application of pressurized steam and forced hot air for cleaning broiler transport container flooring

Authors: REINA, MARCO - Auburn University; URRUTIA, ANDREA - Auburn University; FIGUEROA, JUAN - Auburn University; RIGGS, MONTANTA - Auburn University; MACKLIN, KENNETH - Auburn University; Buhr, Richard - Jeff; PRICE, STUART - Auburn University; BOURASSA, DIANNA - Auburn University

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2023
Publication Date: 8/25/2023
Citation: Reina, M.A., Urrutia, A., Figueroa, J.C., Riggs, M.R., Macklin, K.S., Buhr, R.J., Price, S.B., Bourassa, D.B. 2023. Application of pressurized steam and forced hot air for cleaning broiler transport container flooring. Poultry Science. 103(2):103276. p.1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2023.103276.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2023.103276

Interpretive Summary: In the United States, cleaning poultry transport containers prior to arrival at the broiler grow-out farm is not currently a widely adopted practice in the industry. However, previous studies have shown that transport containers have an important role in cross-contamination with foodborne pathogens before the birds arrive at the processing plant. The objective of this study was to evaluate pressurized steam followed by forced hot air to clean transport container flooring and compare it to conventional cleaning procedures. Fiberglass and plastic flooring were inoculated with chicken intestinal contents containing the foodborne pathogens Salmonella (6 log10 CFU) or Campylobacter (8.4 log10 CFU). The cleaning treatments were pressurized steam, forced hot air, pressurized steam followed by forced hot air, water pressure washing, water pressure washing before and after disinfectant, and no cleaning. Counts (colony forming units, CFU) for Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, coliforms, and aerobic bacteria were assessed. Forced hot air applied by itself was not efficient in reducing Campylobacter, coliforms, and E. coli when compared to samples from non-cleaned flooring, but limited reductions (less than 1 log10 CFU/cm^2) were observed for Salmonella and aerobic bacteria. Pressurized steam applied by itself showed greater reductions (2.4 to 3.5 log10 CFU/cm^2) than hot air alone for all bacteria evaluated. Further reductions (4.0 to 4.6 log10 CFU/cm^2) were observed when samples were cleaned with a single pressure water wash for all bacterial types. For Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. coli, the greatest reductions were observed when samples were cleaned with pressurized steam followed by forced hot air (4.3 to 6.1 log10 CFU/cm^2) or water washed before and after disinfectant (4.5 to 6.2 log10 CFU/cm^2), and these treatments did not differ from each other. Pressurized steam followed by forced hot air was shown to be an efficient cleaning procedure to reduce poultry-associated pathogens on transport cage flooring, with the benefit of using less water than conventional water cleaning. Processors may be able to adapt this process to reduce potential cross-contamination and lessen the level of pathogens entering the processing plant.

Technical Abstract: In the United States, cleaning poultry transport containers prior to arrival at the broiler grow-out farm is not currently a widely adopted practice in the industry. However, previous studies have shown that transport containers have an important role in cross-contamination before the broilers arrive at the processing plant. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pressurized steam followed by forced hot air to clean transport container flooring and compare it to conventional cleaning procedures. Fiberglass and plastic flooring were cut into even pieces and inoculated with chicken intestinal contents containing Salmonella Infantis or Campylobacter jejuni. The cleaning treatments were pressurized steam, forced hot air, pressurized steam followed by forced hot air, water pressure washing, water pressure washing before and after disinfectant, and no cleaning. Counts for Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, coliforms, and aerobic bacteria were assessed. Forced hot air applied by itself was not efficient in reducing Campylobacter, coliforms, and E. coli when compared to samples from non-cleaned flooring, but limited reductions (less than 1 log10 CFU/cm^2) were observed for Salmonella and aerobic bacteria. Pressurized steam applied by itself showed greater reductions (2.4 to 3.5 log10 CFU/cm^2) than hot air alone for all bacteria evaluated. Further reductions (4.0 to 4.6 log10 CFU/cm2) were observed when samples were cleaned with a single pressure water wash for all bacterial types. For Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. coli, the greatest reductions were observed when samples were cleaned with pressurized steam followed by forced hot air (4.3 to 6.1 log10 CFU/cm^2) or water washed before and after disinfectant (4.5 to 6.2 log10 CFU/cm^2), and these treatments did not differ from each other. Pressurized steam followed by forced hot air was shown to be an efficient cleaning procedure to reduce poultry-associated pathogens on transport cage flooring, with the benefit of using less water than conventional water cleaning. Processors may be able to adapt this process to reduce potential cross-contamination and lessen the level of pathogens entering the processing plant.