A Study on the Effects of Chilling on the Microbiological Quality of Poultry Carcasses and Surface Decontamination with Lactic Acid

Authors: HALİL TOSUN, ABDURRAHMAN ÜSAME TAMER

Abstract: Effects of immersion chilling on the microbiological quality of poultry carcasses and cross contamination of Salmonella were studied. Levels of aerobic mezophilic bacteria, coliform, Escherichia coli and the incidence of Salmonella were determined prechill and postchill. The level of coliform and E. coli were reduced by immersion chilling (P<0.01). The reduction of aerobic mezophilic bacteria was not significantly significant (P>0.05) but there was an increase in Salmonella incidence in carcasses exiting the immersion chiller indicating that this may be the point of most significant cross contamination in broiler processing plants. Experiments on microbial decontamination of poultry carcasses with lactic acid were performed. The microbial levels of poultry carcasses were reduced significantly by lactic acid treatment (P<0.05). Treatment with lactic acid (1%) resulted in a 1.259, 1.685 and 2.023 logaritmic unit reduction in colony forming units of aerobic mezophilic bacteria, coliform and E. coli. Other treatments with lactic acid (3%) resulted in a 2.502, 3.876 and 3.820 logaritmic unit reduction in colony forming units of aerobic mezophilic bacteria, coliform and E. coli compared with the control samples. Salmonella was not isolated from decontaminated broiler carcasses with 1% and 3% of lactic acid solutions. Lactic acid can be used eliminate Salmonella from poultry carcasses and extend the shelf life of processed broilers. However undesirable organoleptic characteristics may occur when it is used at high concentrations.

Keywords: Chilling, Lactic acid, Surface decontamination, Salmonella

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