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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #127521
Title: EFFECT OF BROILER FEED WITHDRAWAL AND TRANSPORTATION ON CARCASS CAMPYLOBACTER, SALMONELLA AND E COLI LEVELS BEFORE AND AFTER IMMERSION CHILLING

Author
item Northcutt, Julie
item Berrang, Mark
item Dickens, James
item FLETCHER, D. - UGA
item Cox Jr, Nelson

Submitted to: Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2002
Publication Date: 1/14/2002
Citation: Northcutt, J.K., Berrang, M.E., Dickens, J.A., Fletcher, D.L., Cox Jr, N.A. 2002. Effect of broiler feed withdrawal and transportation on carcass campylobacter, salmonella and e coli levels before and after immersion chilling. [abstract] Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts. 81(suppl.1):130.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A study was conducted to determine effect of broiler feed withdrawal and transportation on carcass Campylobacter, Salmonella and E. coli levels before and after immersion chilling. Four week old Campylobacter positive broilers were transferred to the research facility and placed into floor pens with 18 birds in each of 12 pens. Full fed broilers (FF) and broilers held without feed for 12 hours (FW) were processed at 6, 7 and 8 weeks of age. One week prior to slaughter, broilers were innoculated with Salmonella via gavage. The day before processing, feed but not water was removed from FW broilers for 4 hours. These birds were then caught, cooped, transported for 1 hour, and held for an additional 7 hours before processing. FF broilers were caught and cooped less than 10 min before processing. All broilers were stunned, bled, scalded, defeathered, mechanically eviscerated and rinsed. Twelve pre-chill carcasses were subjected to a whole carcass rinse (WCR), while the remaining carcasses were tumble chilled in ice water containing 20 PPM chlorine. When carcass temperature reached 4 C, carcasses were removed from chillers, allowed to drip for 5 min, and subjected to a post-chill WCR. No free chlorine was found in chill water after carcasses reached temperature. Feed withdrawal and transportation had little effect on pre-chill and post-chill Campylobacter, Salmonella and E. coli numbers recovered from carcasses. For both FF and FW treatments, all tested bacterial populations were approximately 1.5 log units lower on chilled carcasses than on pre-chilled carcasses. These data suggest that for contaminated broilers, feed withdrawal and transportation will not significantly influence carcass bacteria loads.