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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 #361014
Research Project: Production and Processing Intervention Strategies for Poultry Associated Foodborne Pathogens

Location: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit

Title: Effects of a dry hydrogen peroxide disinfection system used in an egg cooler on hatchability and chick quality

Author
item MELO, ERICA - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item MCELREATH, J - University Of Georgia
item WILSON, JEANNA - University Of Georgia
item LARA, L - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item Cox Jr, Nelson
item JORDAN, BRIAN - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/21/2020
Publication Date: 5/30/2020
Citation: Melo, E.F., Mcelreath, J.S., Wilson, J.L., Lara, L.J., Cox Jr, N.A., Jordan, B.L. 2020. Effects of a dry hydrogen peroxide disinfection system used in an egg cooler on hatchability and chick quality. Poultry Science. 99:5487-5490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2020.05.050.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2020.05.050

Interpretive Summary: A gaseous dry hydrogen peroxide system was developed and is being introduced into commercial broiler breeder hatcheries to continually combat microbes in the air and on the surfaces. This study showed that treated eggs had a higher hatchability and lower early embryonic death than the untreated group.

Technical Abstract: A sanitation method that could continually clean and disinfect the air and surfaces in a hatchery could be positive. A gaseous dry hydrogen peroxide (DHP) system was developed and has been introduced into hatcheries to continually combat microbes in the air and on surfaces. The aim of this study was evaluate the effects of this new system on hatching parameters and chick quality. A total of 3,960 fertile eggs were collected from an approximately 40-week-old Ross 308 broiler breeder flock and distributed in 2 treatments: control (no disinfection) and treated. For the treated group, one DHP air sanitizer was placed inside an egg cooler and two others machines were placed in the common area outside. Both areas were treated for 7 days prior to placement of eggs, and then eggs were collected and placed inside the cooler over a four days period and stored for 3 days after the last collection. During pre-treatment and egg storage, DHP levels were measured inside the cooler. After storage, eggs were placed into a single stage Natureform incubator. For the control group, all DHP machines were removed from the cooler and external room five days before placing the eggs, and the egg cooler was cleaned. During the treated phase of the trial, a daily increasing level of DHP was measured in the egg cooler. The eggs disinfected with gaseous DHP showed higher (P < 0.05) hatch of fertile eggs and lower (P < 0.05) early embryonic dead than the eggs from non-treated group. The objective of this study was completed in that DHP treatment of fertile eggs had no detrimental affect on hatch of fertile eggs.