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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #302748

Title: Analysis of process water use in poultry meat production

Author
item Holser, Ronald

Submitted to: American Institute of Chemical Engineers
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/3/2013
Publication Date: 11/8/2013
Citation: Holser, R.A. 2013. Analysis of process water use in poultry meat production. American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Paper number 200m.

Interpretive Summary: During the preparation of fresh poultry products the processing facility uses large quantities of water to chill the bird carcasses. The water becomes contaminated with bacteria that are naturally present on the carcasses which can pose risks to environmental and human health. To control bacterial contamination and permit recycle of process water antimicrobial treatments are needed. The impact of process water treatment and recycle rates were calculated on process costs and risk of product contamination. These results showed that utility costs and product contamination can be reduced at the chiller. This will help plant managers improve process water use in the poultry industry.

Technical Abstract: Poultry processing facilities use large quantities of water for chiller unit operations. The chiller is critical for temperature reduction to inhibit microbial growth and preserve product quality and safety. Process water quality can also influence product safety when bacteria present on poultry skin leads to contamination of the chiller water. A process model was constructed using SuperPro Designer simulation software to evaluate the impact of recycle on process water use. Model inputs included chiller water volume, utility rates, and number of birds processed. The simulation incorporated material and energy balances to characterize performance. Model outputs included calculated values for process utility costs. These results were compared with Monte Carlo simulations that predicted the likelihood of microbial contamination during chiller operation. These results can guide the development of effective water management strategies to reduce process water consumption and wastewater treatment requirements. The connection between process water management, water chemistry, and operating conditions offers the possibility to improve product quality and safety while reducing operating costs.