Reducing Pathogens in Poultry

WASHINGTONCold-water immersion and other antimicrobial interventions in poultry processing reduces Salmonella and Campylobacter in raw chickens, according to a survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted from July 2007 to June 2008 at 182 broiler slaughter plants.

As reported by Meatingplace, USDA collected 6,550 samples, divided equally between samples taken at the re-hang station and after the chiller. Raw chickens were processed under the available antimicrobial measures of each plant that typically include the use of chlorinated water in processing and in the chiller.

The survey found that 5 percent of the raw chickens in the survey had Salmonella after chilling and 11 percent had Campylobacter, down from 41 percent and 71 percent, respectively, prior to evisceration. The actual number of bacteria on each raw chicken also was reduced by about 99 percent on average with respect to Campylobacter and 66 percent on average for Salmonella.