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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #327761

Title: Effects of scalding method and sequential tanks on broiler processing wastewater loadings

Author
item HARRIS, CAITLIN - University Of Georgia
item Bourassa, Dianna
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff
item KIEPPER, BRIAN - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Poultry Science Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/11/2016
Publication Date: 7/11/2016
Citation: Harris, C.E., Bourassa, D.V., Buhr, R.J., Kiepper, B.H. 2016. Effects of scalding method and sequential tanks on broiler processing wastewater loadings. [abstract] Poultry Science Meeting. 95:(E-Suppl.1)513P. p.170.

Interpretive Summary: none

Technical Abstract: The effects of scalding time and temperature, and sequential scalding tanks was evaluated based on impact to poultry processing wastewater (PPW) stream loading rates following the slaughter of commercially raised broilers. On 3 separate weeks (trials), broilers were obtained following feed withdrawal, transported to the pilot plant weighed, and then electrically stunned and bled for 2 min in 4 sequential batches (n = 16 broilers/batch, 64 broilers/trial). Each batch of 16 carcasses was subjected to either hard (60.0C for 1.5 min total time) or soft (52.8C for 3 min total time) immersion scalding in 3 successive scalding tanks. Following the scalding of each batch, a representative 1L sample of PPW from each 740L scalding tank was collected and put on ice. Each PPW sample was analyzed for concentration (mg/L) of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids (TS), and total volatile solids (TVS). A PPW load in grams per kilogram of live weight (g/kg-LWT) was calculated for each concentration (mg/L) data point. There were significant (P = 0.05) differences in PPW loading between the scalding treatments for COD, TS and TVS in scald tanks 1 and 2; however, there were no significant differences in scalding tank 3. There were also significant (P = 0.05) differences in PPW loading between the sequential scalding tanks for COD, TS and TVS, with the highest loading rates being generated in tank 1 and the lowest in tank 3. Mean loadings (g/kg-LWT) in tank 1 for soft vs. hard scald were COD 0.645 vs. 0.456, TS 0.779 vs. 0.388, and TVS 0.636 vs. 0.349. Mean loadings (g/kg-LWT) in tank 2 for soft vs. hard scald were COD 0.201 vs. 0.188, TS 0.562 vs. 0.201, and TVS 0.349 vs. 0.149. Mean loadings (g/kg-LWT) in tank 3 for soft vs. hard scald were COD 0.112 vs. 0.111, TS 0.163 vs. 0.128, and TVS 0.106 vs. 0.111. The results of this work indicate that scalding protocols (hard vs. soft) may impact PPW.