Microbiological quality of broiler carcasses during slaughter processing

Abstract

Microbial contamination of poultry carcasses can be influenced by many factors during transport and slaughtering. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of four processing steps (plucking, evisceration, washing and chilling) on the total viable counts (TVC), counts of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. incidence on broiler carcasses. A total of 160 broiler carcasses originating from one farm were collected during one year period at a Czech slaughterhouse and examined. Both TVC and E. coli counts decreased during processing from 4.6 log cfu/cm 2 and 3.5 log cfu/cm 2 to 3.7 log cfu/cm 2 and 1.8 log cfu/cm 2 , respectively, with a major impact of washing on TVC and washing and chilling on E. coli decrease (P < 0.001). Both Salmonella spp. (6 strains) and Listeria spp. (12 strains, none of L. monocytogenes) were found sporadically in all processing steps followed. However, a decreasing trend was observed in Salmonella counts and Listeria spp. incidence during the processing. Thus, this study brings new valuable information on the dynamics of microflora during modern poultry processing.

Total and Thermo-Tolerant Coliforms<i>,</i><i> </i><i>Salmonella</i><i> </i><i>spp.,</i><i> </i><i>Escherichia</i><i> </i><i>coli,</i><i> </i><i>Pseudomonas</i><i> </i><i>spp</i><i> </i>and <i>Listeria</i><i> </i><i>monocytogenes</i><i> </i>in Broilers Chicken Meat Processing Chain in Southern

“…Svobodov et al [8] obtained similar results when they counted bacteria in broiler carcasses during the several stages in the industrial process, and contamination by E.coli was verified in decreased with each subsequent stage during the industrial process. Alvarez et al [16] quantified E. coli in chicken cuts bought in shops in León, Spain, and obtained averages between 2.6 and 4.3 log CFU.g -1 , higher than those reported in current assay.…”

“…Svobodová et al [8] assessed chicken carcasses during the processing stages in an abattoir in the Czech Republic and isolated 14 Listeria spp. strains in 12 carcasses.…”

“…The contamination level by degrading and pathogenic indicator microorganisms, such as Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes is still a fact that should be set right in broiler abattoirs and in selling outlets where these products and their derivatives are commercialized [6,7,8].…”

Escherichia coli and E nterobacteriaceae counts on poultry carcasses along the slaughterline: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Among 14 studies investigating this stage (Barbut et al, 2009;Berrang & Dickens, 2000;Cox et al, 2010;Fluckey et al, 2003;Gill et al, 2006;Matias et al, 2010;Oyarzabal et al, 2004;Stopforth et al, 2007;Svobodova et al, 2012;Vaidya et al, 2005;Whyte, McGill, Monahan, & Collins, 2004), 11 described a statistically significant reduction. Both the overall effect size as well as the confidence interval described a positive effect of chilling stage on counts reduction.…”

“…Fourteen studies investigated reduction attributable to the washing step; eleven studies showed a decrease of E. coli counts after this operation (Barbut et al, 2009;Berrang & Dickens, 2000;Kemp, Aldrich, Guerra, & Schneider, 2001;Matias et al, 2010;Northcutt, Berrang, Smith, & Jones, 2003;Oyarzabal, Hawk, Bilgili, Warf, & Kemp, 2004;Stopforth et al, 2007;Svobodova, Borilova, Hulankova, & Steinhauserova, 2012;Vaidya et al, 2005), while three studies (Barbut et al, 2009;Oyarzabal et al, 2004;Stopforth et al, 2007) recorded a very small increase of the counts. From a statistical point of view, washing was effective in reducing bacterial counts; however, it failed to reach practical significance against our threshold value (Details in Fig.…”