EFFECTS OF ACETIC-ACID AND HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE APPLICATION DURING DEFEATHERING ON THE MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF BROILER CARCASSES PRIOR TO EVISCERATION

The microbiological quality and skin appearance of New York dressed br oiler carcasses were determined in two separate experiments after a wa ter control, acetic acid, or H2O2 spray during defeathering. Broilers were picked up from a local processor and transported in coops to the pilot facility. In both experiments, commercial processing parameters were followed up to the defeathering step. After feather removal, the vents of all carcasses were blocked with a cotton plug to prevent cont amination of the whole carcass rinse diluent with fecal material from the lower gut. The neck and feet were removed, and the carcasses were placed in individual plastic bags in preparation for a whole carcass r inse. Results showed a statistically significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the log(10) total aerobic plate counts for carcasses treated with 1 % acetic acid in comparison to the water control (log(10) cfu counts = 3.93 and 4.53, respectively). No differences were observed in skin ap pearance due to the 1% acid treatment. The addition of 0.5, 1, or 1.5% H2O2 to spray waters had no effect on microbiological quality of the carcasses when compared to the water control (4.92, 5.01, 4.91, and 4. 99 log(10) counts, respectively). The skin of carcasses treated with h ydrogen peroxide, regardless of the concentration, was bleached and bl oated.