Broiler Carcass Reprocessing, A Further Evaluation

High pressure spray with water shows similar efficiency to trimming in controlling microorganisms on poultry carcasses

A study was conducted to evaluate a high pressure spray (HPS) with water as an alternative to trimming to remove gastrointestinal contamination on poultry carcasses and improve microbiological quality. The study was conducted under commercial conditions in 5 slaughter plants with one plant presenting approximately 5% of carcasses with visible gastrointestinal contamination (VGC), and the others showing approximately 12% of VGC. In all 5 plants, carcasses were sampled from the slaughter line and separated into 6 groups corresponding to 3 different treatments: A) carcasses with VGC before and after trimming; B) carcasses with VGC before and after HPS; and C) carcasses with no VGC before and after HPS. At the end of Trial A and prior to Trials B and C, an HPS equipment was installed before the end of the slaughter line. The HPS equipment was operated with 10 kgf/cm² of pressure and 1.5 L of potable water per carcass. Carcasses were analyzed using a rinsing procedure, and the following microbiological parameters were evaluated: the prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter, the abundance of Escherichia coli (EC), Enterobacteriaceae (EB), and the Total Viable Count (TVC). Salmonella was found in all plants at a prevalence ranging from 0.8% (plant 1) to 17.3% (plant 5), and the difference between plants was significant (P < 0.05%). The prevalence of Campylobacter ranged from 2.1 (plant 1) to 18.6% (plant 4) (P < 0.05%). The prevalence of Campylobacter was similar in plants 2, 3, and 5, and a significant difference (P < 0.05%) was observed compared to plants 1 and 4. In all plants, the EC, EB, and TVC counts did not show a significant difference (P > 0.05%) in any treatments. These results demonstrate that HPS with water is an alternative method for removing VGC and improving or maintaining the microbiological quality and safety of broiler carcasses.

Advances in enteropathogen control in poultry production

Poultry meat has been associated frequently and consistently with the transmission of enteric pathogens, including Salmonella and Campylobacter. This association has resulted in the development of HACCP-based intervention strategies. These strategies (hurdles) begin with elite breeder flocks and filter down the production pyramid. These hurdles include those already established, such as biosecurity, vaccination, competitive exclusion, pre- and probiotics, feed and water control, and those more experimental, such as bacteriophage or immunoglobulin therapy. The reduction in enteropathogens entering the processing plant, which employs critical control points, further reduce the exposure of consumers to these organisms. The synergistic application of hurdles will result in an environment that is restrictive and detrimental to enteropathogen colonization and contamination.

Microbial recovery from genetically featherless broiler carcasses after forced cloacal fecal expulsion

A study was conducted to determine external microbiology of genetically featherless broiler carcasses after forced cloacal fecal expulsion. Full-fed featherless broilers were placed into coops, transported, unloaded, shackled, stunned, suffocated, weighed, and divided into 3 treatments groups. Carcasses were transferred to a separate shackle line and passed through a machine designed to induce defecation (squeeze) and then remove external feces (wash). Treatments were obtained by turning the squeezing and washing components on or off. Treatments were as follows: S carcasses were squeezed but not washed; W carcasses were not squeezed but were washed; and SW carcasses were squeezed and washed. Concentrations of total aerobic microorganisms (AB), Escherichia coli (EC), coliforms (CF), and Campylobacter (CPY) recovered from whole carcass rinses did not vary with treatment (P > 0.05). However, counts of Salmonella (SAL) in rinses of S carcasses were 1.4 log(10) cfu/mL greater than counts of SAL found in rinses of SW carcasses (P < 0.05). The SAL prevalence was similar for S (86% positive), W (90% positive), and SW (83% positive) carcasses (P > 0.05). Populations of AB and CF recovered from wash water (water applied in the machine after fecal expulsion) for SW carcasses were significantly higher by 3.1 and 1.5 log(10) cfu/mL, respectively, than the populations of the same bacteria recovered from wash water for W carcasses (P < 0.05). Levels of EC and CPY recovered from wash water did not vary with treatment. There was no difference in CPY and SAL prevalence in water collected after washing W carcasses or SW carcasses (P > 0.05). Data from the present study show that controlled cloacal fecal expulsion followed by carcass washing immediately after slaughter can be used to minimize the numbers of carcass Salmonella and can reduce the likelihood of visible carcass fecal contamination or cross-contamination to other carcasses and processing equipment.

Prevalence and numbers of Campylobacter on broiler carcasses collected at rehang and postchill in 20 U.S. processing plants

Campylobacter is a human pathogen associated with chicken and chicken meat products. This study was designed to examine the prevalence and number of Campylobacter on broiler chicken carcasses in commercial processing plants in the United States. Carcass samples were collected from each of 20 U.S. plants four times, roughly approximating the four seasons of 2005. At each plant on each sample day, 10 carcasses were collected at rehang (prior to evisceration), and 10 carcasses from the same flock were collected postchill. A total of 800 carcasses were collected at rehang and another 800 were collected postchill. All carcasses were subjected to a whole-carcass rinse, and the rinse diluent was cultured for Campylobacter. The overall mean number of Campylobacter detected on carcasses at rehang was 2.66 log CFU per ml of carcass rinse. In each plant, the Campylobacter numbers were significantly reduced by broiler processing; the mean concentration after chill was 0.43 log CFU/ml. Overall prevalence was also reduced by processing from a mean of > or =30 of 40 carcasses at rehang to > or =14 of 40 carcasses at postchill. Seven different on-line reprocessing techniques were applied in the test plants, and all techniques resulted in <1 log CFU/ml after chilling. Use of a chlorinated carcass wash before evisceration did not affect the postchill Campylobacter numbers. However, use of chlorine in the chill tank was related to lower numbers on postchill carcasses. Overall, U.S. commercial poultry slaughter operations are successful in significantly lowering the prevalence and number of Campylobacter on broiler carcasses during processing.

Occurrence of selected foodborne pathogens on poultry and poultry giblets from small retail processing operations in Trinidad

We conducted a study to determine quantitatively and qualitatively the presence of Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli, staphylococci, total coliforms, total aerobic bacteria, and Salmonella on broiler carcasses from selected small retail processors in Trinidad. We used standard media and procedures for detection and quantification. All carcass and weep samples were positive for aerobic bacteria, E. coli, total coliforms, and staphylococci. Significant differences in the mean counts of aerobic bacteria were observed for samples of carcass (P = 0.001), weep (P = 0.038), and liver and heart (P = 0.017). There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the prevalence of E. coli and Campylobacter for liver and heart samples and gizzard samples across various areas (health divisions) in Trinidad and for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli for offal samples. The prevalence of Salmonella in carcass, drip, gizzard, and liver and heart samples was 7.3, 3.1, 2.1, and 1.0%, respectively, and three serotypes, Salmonella Kiambu (53.8%), Salmonella Kentucky (38.5%), and Salmonella Mbandaka (7.7%) were isolated. Of the six groups of microbes considered with respect to sale activity, the differences in the prevalence of Campylobacter in medium-activity sale shops (95.8%) and low-activity sale shops (83.3%) and the mean counts of staphylococci for medium-activity sale shops (5.5 +/- 0.9) and low-activity sale shops (5.1 +/- 0.8) were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Carcasses rinsed in a stagnant system had a significantly higher (P < 0.05) prevalence (92.3%) and mean count per milliliter (3.1 +/- 0.7) for Campylobacter compared with 77.8% and 2.7 +/- 0.7 for shops that rinsed with constantly running water. The frequency of rinse water change significantly (P = 0.04) affected the prevalence of Salmonella on carcasses. It is recommended that a quality control system be introduced for these shops, particularly with respect to evisceration and rinsing practices.

Effect of prechill fecal contamination on numbers of bacteria recovered from broiler chicken carcasses before and after immersion chilling

Paired carcass halves were used to test whether fecal contamination of skin during processing of broiler chickens can be detected by increased bacterial counts in samples taken before and after immersion chilling. In each of three trials, six freshly defeathered and eviscerated carcasses were cut in half, and a rectangle (3 by 5 cm) was marked with dots of ink on the breast skin of each half. One half of each pair was chosen randomly, and 0.1 g of freshly collected feces was spread over the rectangle with a spatula. After 10 min, both halves were sprayed with tap water for 10 to 15 s until feces could no longer be seen in the marked area. Both halves were sampled with a 1-min carcass rinse and were then put in a paddle chiller with other eviscerated carcasses for 45 min to simulate industrial immersion chilling. Immediately after chilling, each carcass half was subjected to another 1-min rinse, after which the skin within the rectangle was aseptically removed from the carcass halves and stomached. Rinses of fecally contaminated halves had significantly higher Enterobacteriaceae immediately before chilling, but there were no differences in coliform and Escherichia coli counts. After chilling, there were no differences in Enterobacteriaceae, coliform, and E. coli counts in rinse or skin samples from the paired carcass halves. Correlations were generally poor between counts in rinse and skin samples but were significant between prechill and postchill rinses for both control and fecally contaminated halves. Correlations were also significant between counts in rinses of control and contaminated halves of the same carcass after chilling. Bacterial counts in postchill carcass rinses did not indicate that fecal contamination occurred before chilling.

Variation in numbers of bacteria on paired chicken carcass halves

Bacterial counts from paired broiler carcass halves were examined for relationships between numbers and kinds of bacteria that might indicate fecal contamination. Broiler carcasses removed from a commercial processing plant just before chilling were split aseptically along the midline, and each side was rinsed in 400 mL of phosphate buffered saline for 1 min with either mechanical or hand shaking. Both halves of six carcasses were rinsed on four different days for a total of 24 carcasses sampled with each shaking method. Aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Campylobacter jejuni were enumerated and summed to obtain whole carcass counts. There were no significant (P < 0.05) differences in numbers of bacteria recovered by the two rinse methods. In left-right comparisons, only E. coli was significantly different (P = 0.04), with the right side having higher counts (least-square means of 1.09 vs. 0.97). For aerobic plate count (APC), coliforms, E. coli, and Campylobacter, correlations between paired left and right side counts were between 0.78 and 0.86. The correlation between whole carcass counts and absolute left-right differences was significant for APC (0.43), but was not significant for coliforms, E. coli, and Campylobacter, so higher whole carcass counts were not associated with higher counts on one side of the carcass. Correlations between different bacteria on whole carcasses were significant for E. coli-APC (0.39), E. coli-coliforms (0.67), and APC-coliforms (0.71), but other combinations had non-significant correlations. The correlation was not significant between E. coli and Campylobacter, a relatively fragile organism whose presence can be interpreted to indicate fairly recent fecal contamination. There were no indications that high E. coli counts on inspection-passed, prechill carcasses indicated recent fecal contamination.

Continuous online processing of fecal- and ingesta-contaminated poultry carcasses using an acidified sodium chlorite antimicrobial intervention

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the combined use of an inside-outside-bird-washer for the removal of visible contamination and an online acidified sodium chlorite (ASC) spray system in reducing microbial levels on contaminated poultry carcasses. Specifically, we attempted to determine if this technique (referred to as continuous online processing [COP]) would (i) eliminate the need for offline reprocessing of contaminated carcasses, (ii) meet Zero Fecal Tolerance standards, and (iii) attain significant reductions in titers of some of the commonly found bacterial species. Carcasses were sampled for Ercherichia coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter at five stations along the processing lines in a series of five commercial plant studies to compare the efficacy of the COP system to that of offline processing. The microbiological quality of fecally contaminated carcasses was found to be significantly better following COP treatment (E. coli, 0.59 log10 CFU/ml; Salmonella, 10.0% incidence) than after standard offline reprocessing (E. coli, 2.37 log10 CFU/ml; Salmonella, 31.6% incidence). Zero Fecal Tolerance requirements were met by all but 2 (0.2%) of the 1.127 carcasses following COP. COP also significantly reduced the titers of Campylobacter; residual titers were 1.14 log10 CFU/ml (49.1% incidence) following COP, compared to 2.89 log10 CFU/ml (73.2% incidence) in carcasses that underwent offline reprocessing. These results support the combined use of an inside-outside-bird-washer for the removal of visible contamination and an online ASC spray system to reduce microbial levels in commercially processed poultry.