ARS | Publication request: BACTERIA RECOVERY FROM GENETICALLY FEATHERED AND FEATHERLESS BROILER CARCASSES AFTER IMMERSION CHILLING

Submitted to: Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 23, 2005
Publication Date: July 31, 2005
Citation: Buhr, R.J., Bourassa, D.V., Northcutt, J.K., Hinton Jr, A., Ingram, K.D., Cason Jr, J.A. 2005. Bacteria recovery from genetically feathered and featherless broiler carcasses after immersion chilling [abstract]. Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting. 84(suppl.1):19-20.

Technical Abstract: Feathered and featherless sibling broilers were reared and processed together to determine the influence of feather follicles on carcass bacteria recovery following chilling. In each trial, 24 broilers were inoculated one week prior to processing by oral gavage with a suspension of log10 6 cfu/mL salmonellae or Campylobacter. Broilers were stunned and bled, and carcasses were either triple-tank scalded at 46, 53, and 58 C (115, 128, and 136 F) or single-tank scalded at 55 C (132 F), a total immersion time of 2 min, and then defeathered. The feet and heads were removed prior to evisceration and the neck was removed prior to mechanical washing at 689 kPa (100 psi). Carcasses were chilled for 45 min in ice and water immersion paddle chillers with or without 20 ppm chlorine added. Carcass rinses were evaluated for E. coli, coliforms, total aerobes, salmonellae and Campylobacter. Following processing and immersion chilling, genetically featherless carcasses had significantly higher counts (by log10 0.35 cfu / 100 mL of carcass rinse) for E. coli, coliforms, and total aerobes than the genetically feathered carcasses. However, there were no significant differences in the recovery of salmonellae and Campylobacter between feathered and featherless carcasses. Recovery of bacteria (total aerobes, E. coli, coliform, or direct plated salmonellae and Campylobacter counts) was not different for carcasses that were single or triple-tank scalded. However, following enrichment, salmonellae were recovered from more carcasses subjected to the triple-tank (86%) than single-tank (71%) scalding. Chlorinated chiller water significantly decreased carcass recovery (by log10 0.43 cfu / 100 mL carcass rinse) for E. coli, coliforms, total aerobes, and Campylobacter, but had no effect on salmonellae recovery. The presence of feathers and feather follicles during grow-out, transport, processing, and immersion chilling does not appear to influence the recovery of salmonellae or Campylobacter from carcasses sampled after immersion chilling. Key Words: scaleless, scalding, chilling, salmonellae, E. coli, Campylobacter