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Title: RECOVERY OFBACTERIA FROM BROILER CARCASSES AFTER IMMERSION CHILLING IN DIFFERENT VOLUMES OF WATER, PART 2

Author
item Northcutt, Julie
item Cason Jr, John
item Ingram, Kimberly
item Smith, Douglas
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2006
Publication Date: 7/16/2006
Citation: Northcutt, J.K., Cason Jr, J.A., Ingram, K.D., Smith, D.P., Buhr, R.J. 2006. Recovery ofbacteria from broiler carcasses after immersion chilling in different volumes of water, part 2 [abstract]. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. Poultry Science 85(Supp.1):134.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In a previous study, the levels of bacteria recovered from broiler carcass halves after immersion chilling in a low volume of water (2.1 L/kg) were greater than the levels of bacteria recovered from halves after immersion chilling in a high volume of water (16.8 L/kg). A second study was conducted to determine if the recovery of bacteria from chilled broiler carcass halves would be different if a commercial immersion chilling volume was used (3.3 L/kg) compared to double that volume (6.7 L/kg). For this study, pre-chill broiler carcasses were removed from a commercial processing line, cut into left and right halves, and one half of each pair was individually chilled in a bag containing either 3.3 L/kg or 6.7 L/kg distilled water. Bags containing halves were submersed in a secondary chill tank containing approximately 150 L of an air-agitated ice-water mix (0.6°C). After 45 min, halves were removed, allowed to drip for 5 min, and rinsed with 100 mL of sterile water for 1 min. Rinses were analyzed for total aerobic bacteria (APC), Escherichia coli (EC), Enterobacteriaceae (EN) and Campylobacter (CP). When the numbers of bacteria in the half-carcass rinses (HCR) were compared, counts recovered from halves chilled in 3.3 L/kg of water were the same as those recovered from the halves chilled with 6.7 L/kg of water (P > 0.05). Levels found in the HCR ranged from 4.0 to 4.2 log10 cfu/mL for APC, 3.3 to 3.5 log10 cfu/mL for EC, 3.6 to 3.8 log10 cfu/mL for EN and 2.4 to 2.6 log10 cfu/mL for CP. Data were also analyzed using a paired comparison t-test, and this analysis also showed that there was no difference (P > 0.05) in the numbers of APC, EC, EN or CP recovered from paired-halves chilled in different volumes of water. The present study shows that doubling the amount of water that is traditionally used during immersion chilling (6.7 L/kg) will not improve the removal of bacteria from the surfaces of chilled carcasses. Key Words: Poultry, immersion chilling, carcass bacteria recovery, chiller water volume