EVALUATION OF A “DRY” SYSTEM FOR THE SLAUGHTER OF POULTRY: MICROBIAL PROFILE OF CARCASSES - PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Abstract

The “dry” system for the slaughter of poultry provides mechanical defeathering followed by waxing, without scalding. The microbical contamination of n. 60 poultry carcasses was evaluated in different phases of a “dry” slaughter process. Samples from the neck region after stun and from breast after defeathering and waxing were carried out by non-destructive methods, by swabbing (n. 30 carcasses) and by sponging (n. 30 carcasses). The collected samples were examined for the Total Aerobic Count, coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. The non-destructive method by sponging showed the higher recovery capacity for each group of microrganisms, except Salmonella spp. as absent from all samples. A low level of carcasses contamination was observed in all the processing phases considered in this study, although S. aureus was observed to be on the increase after waxing.

Keywords

• Poultry, dry slaughter, defeathering, waxing, carcasses contamination