Author
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Berrang, Mark |
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Submitted to: Georgia Poultry Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 5/10/1999 Publication Date: N/A Citation: BERRANG, M.E. CAMPYLOBACTER IN THE PROCESSING PLANT. GEORGIA POULTRY CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS. 1999. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Campylobacter is a bacteria that causes human illness and is commonly associated with poultry and poultry products. In order to best design procedures to interfere with the presence of Campylobacter on processed poultry one must know where the organism is located and at what levels. The outside of a broiler carries a fairly high number of Campylobacter as the bird enters the slaughter process. Campylobacter has been found on skin samples, feathers and whole carcass rinses. The internal organs especially the ceca and colon carry even more Campylobacter on a per gram basis. The numbers of Campylobacter go down when the carcass is scalded but go back up during the defeathering process. The carriage of human pathogens in internal organs is a source of concern because of the possibility of leakage onto the meat during evisceration. Ceca and crops can break during evisceration and the colon-cloaca may leak during processing. Despite the chance of organ rupture, after the carcass has been defeathered numbers of Campylobacter generally decline as the processing proceeds. The end result, with current processing technology, is about the same levels of Campylobacter per ml whole carcass rinse after chill as just after scalding. |
