The effect of chemical treatment on life broilers before slaughter and slaughter conditions on microbial quality and shelf life of broiler meat

Abstract

In this study, effect of chemical treatment (surface and oral) using chlorine and TH4 of life broilers before slaughter and slaughter conditions on bacterial and keeping quality of broiler meat was investigated. The objectives were to improve both bacterial and keeping quality of broiler meat and to identify critical control points in processing of broilers. Nine hundred and sixty mature broilers with 1.5kg average life weight were used. It was found that dipping/spraying and oral treatments reduced the number of contaminating bacteria on the surface of life broilers. Oral treatment however, resulted in lower bacterial contamination after evisceration and washing compared to dipping and spraying. A combination of dipping/spraying and oral treatments were found to be the best in reducing bacterial contamination on the surface of dressed broiler carcasses. The shelf life varied between 24 and 96 hours at 4º C and 6 to 24 hours at 25º C. Surface chemical treatment resulted in the increase in shelf life with oral treatment giving the highest increase in shelf life. Broilers slaughtered at farm level had the highest bacterial contamination with shortest shelf life. It was concluded that chemical treatment of life broilers at the farm before slaughter improves both the bacterial quality and extends shelf life of broiler meat. Slaughtering broilers at farm level using unskilled labour results in heavy bacterial contamination and lowering of shelf life of broiler meat. Key Hazard Analysis and critical Control points in processing of broilers are slaughter environment, slaughter technique, method used to control bacterial contamination on life birds, storage temperature and technical capacities of workers. The Journal of Food Technology in Africa Volume 6 No.3, 2001, pp. 78-82 KEY WORDS: Chemical, broiler meat, microbial quality, slaughter, and shelf life.