Decontamination of broiler carcasses` skin using medicinal herbal extracts

Abstract

This study was carried out to detect the efficiency of different concentrations of medicinal herbal extract as decontaminant agent on broiler carcasses. Therefore, a total of twelve broiler carcasses treated with sumac extract (4% and 8% w/v) and rosemary extract (0.3% and 0.5% w/v) and stored at 0±1°C. All treated carcasses were sensory and microbiologically analyzed. It has been found that there were no changes in color and odor of treated carcasses, either by sumac extract (8% w/v) or rosemary extract (0.5% w/v), however, a reduction in the total bacterial count, coliforms count, E. coli count and Staphylococcus spp. count one/two log less than control samples and shelf-life of broiler carcasses was noticed and extended three to six days more than the control. From the present study, it could be concluded that sumac extract (8% w/v) and rosemary extract (0.5% w/v) are effective as broiler meat decontaminant and preservative.