OCCURRENCE OF LISTERIA SPECIES IN BROILERS PRECHILLING AND POST-CHILLING IN CHLORINATED WATER AT 2 SLAUGHTERHOUSES

Altogether 323 pooled samples of neck skins from 1615 broilers from 2 processing plants (A and B) were examined for the presence of Listeria species. The broilers were sampled pre-chilling - after leaving the f inal rinser but before entering the chiller with chlorinated water - a nd post-chilling - immediately upon leaving the chiller. Free availabl e chlorine in the chilling water varied from 2 to 15 ppm in plant A an d was about 10 ppm in plant B. Listeria monocytogenes was only isolate d from broilers in plant A sampled post-chilling (58% of 62 samples). L. innocua was isolated from 19% and 39% of broilers sampled pre-chill ing in plants A and B, respectively. Post-chilling, L. innocua was iso lated from 3% and 6% of samples from plants A and B, respectively.