Poultry Processing Research Articles

Ten Years Later: Still Unchanged Susceptibility to Antibiotics of Listeria monocytogenes from Poultry Processing Environments.

Listeria monocytogenes is still recognized as being commonly susceptible to antibiotics; however, there have been reports of reduced susceptibility in recent years. The significance of this resistance is not clear, in part due to the disparity in the antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods used. EUCAST (European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing) has recently proposed a standardized method for antibiotic susceptibility testing of L. monocytogenes. The aim of this work was to evaluate the susceptibility to 11 antibiotics in clinical use of 50 pulsed-field gel electrophoresis types of L. monocytogenes representing 347 isolates from a poultry industry setting using the EUCAST method and to compare the results with those obtained 10 years before. All poultry strains were sensitive to all the antibiotics tested but one strain was resistant to benzylpenicillin according to the EUCAST criteria. The current findings supported the previous study and confirmed that in certain food-associated L. monocytogenes populations, antibiotic sensitivity has remained stable.

Investigation of the Antimicrobial Resistance of Important Pathogens Isolated from Poultry from 2015 to 2023 in the United States

Foodborne pathogens cause around 47.8 million illnesses in the U.S. annually, with antimicrobial misuse in food production, particularly in poultry processing, contributing significantly to this public health challenge. Misuse of antimicrobials can contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and make the treatment of pathogens increasingly difficult. This emphasizes the need to investigate antimicrobial resistance in U.S. poultry. This study analyzes data from the NCBI Pathogen Isolates Browser (2015–2023) to explore the relationships between antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, AMR genes, and antimicrobials detected with resistance in pathogens isolated from chicken and turkey. Using principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering, we mapped and profiled regional and temporal patterns of antimicrobial resistance. Salmonella enterica was the most prevalent antimicrobial-resistant pathogen across both chicken and turkey, with notable outbreaks, particularly in the Northeast. Antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter jejuni was more prevalent in chicken, particularly in California and Georgia, while Escherichia coli and Shigella were more prominent in turkey, with concentrated antimicrobial resistance in Texas for pathogen samples isolated from chicken. Resistance to tetracycline and streptomycin was widespread, with distinct regional clusters: antimicrobial resistance was concentrated in states like Minnesota for pathogens isolated from chicken, while AMR found in pathogens isolated from turkey was more evenly distributed across the Midwest. Key AMR genes, such as tet(A), mdsA, and mdsB, also followed similar patterns, peaking in 2019 and significantly declining by 2022. The observed decline in AMR cases may be linked to improved biosecurity measures and disruptions in detection due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This comprehensive study of antimicrobial resistance in U.S. poultry provides valuable insights into resistance trends, which provide useful information to inform targeted interventions and policies to mitigate AMR threats in the poultry production industry. For consumers, these findings emphasize the importance of proper food handling and cooking practices to reduce the risk of exposure to resistant pathogens. Regulatory authorities should focus on enforcing stricter antimicrobial usage policies and enhancing surveillance systems to sustain the reduction in AMR cases.

Microwave cavity antenna for automatic detection of chicken breast muscles affected by wooden breast defect

Over the past years, artificial selection for meat-type (broiler) chickens has resulted in improved production efficiency, but also in an increased incidence of skeletal muscle abnormalities. In particular, wooden breast (WB) abnormality causes abrupt changes in meat quality and enormous economic losses. Thus, the poultry processing industry requires a reliable method to detect the abnormality in production lines in a non-destructive and contactless way. The present research aimed to evaluate the effect of WB on dielectric properties to develop a potential online technique to distinguish unaffected from affected breasts. Sixty-five pectoralis major muscles were picked 3 h post-mortem from the same flock (42-day-old broilers, 2.8 kg average live weight) and classified by visual inspection according to their phenotype as normal (N, not showing not any signs of the WB condition; n = 33) or WB (exhibiting extensive hardened areas and stiffness perceived by manual palpation throughout the entire fillet; n = 32). WB muscles exhibited remarkably higher values of dielectric constant and loss factor in a wide range of the explored frequencies (200 MHz–14 GHz), suggesting higher water mobility and a higher solvate capacity; this makes the electromagnetic technique for classification promising. Based on the above evidence, a rapid microwave electric technique in the range 1.5 GHz–3 GHz was developed for the online detection of WB. Indeed, combining the use of a cavity antenna (vector network analyzer instrumental chain with partial least square – discriminant analysis), this technique correctly classified 100% of the validation test set.

Microorganisms’ Growth Inhibition in Poultry Meat Using Bacillus spp.

Meat processing enterprises are currently seeking ways to improve the efficiency of their operations. This study aimed to assess the presence of harmful microorganisms in poultry meat treated with a probiotic complex of Bacillus spp. bacteria during storage. Of the 2,516 meat samples collected from broiler chickens across six poultry processing enterprises in the Dnipropetrovsk region over three years, 1,845 samples tested positive for pathogens. Listeria spp. were isolated in 52.7% of meat samples, S. aureus in 28.7%, P. aeruginosa – in 6.9%, E. coli in 4.2%, and Salmonella spp. in 7.5%. The next stage of the study was the infection of 10 samples of poultry meat with pathogens of test cultures (Escherichia coli UNCSM - 007, Pseudomonas aeruginosa UNCSM - 012, Staphylococcus aureus UNCSM - 017, Listeria ivanovii UNCSM - 042, Salmonella Enteritidis UNCSM - 081), followed by aerosol treatment with a probiotic complex of Bacillus spp. (1.5×108 in ml (0.5 Mac Farland) administered at a dose of 1 ml per sample with daily registration of colony growth. Following pathogen contamination and a single aerosol treatment with the probiotic complex of Bacillus spp., the growth of E. coli and S. aureus was already suppressed on the second day of meat storage. The probiotic complex of Bacillus spp. was able to displace Salmonella Enteritidis on the third day and P. aeruginosa on day 4, but the growth of L. ivanovii could be observed only on day 5. The probiotic complex of Bacillus spp. formed visible biofilms from the five strains of microorganisms and remained viable for five days, forming a dense biofilm with a high accumulation rate of 4.73 D620. A distinctly noticeable ability to form microbial biofilms within three days was observed in planktonic forms of L. ivanovii up to 2.88 D620, followed by P. aeruginosa at 2.28 D620. Low biofilm density was observed for Salmonella Enteritidis (1.77 D620) and S. aureus (1.76 D620). The probiotic complex of bacteria of the genus Bacillus spp. shows potential for use in meat processing plants to prevent the growth of harmful microbial biofilms on meat products stored under refrigeration.

PSVIII-10 Genetic parameter estimates of postmortem muscle activity in purebred male turkeys (Meleagris gallopovo)

Abstract The poultry processing sector has a critical role in fulfilling the global demand for high-quality protein sources and turkey meat is a significant contributor to that market. During poultry slaughter, wing flapping and body movement may occur, primarily driven by the large breast muscles (Pectoralis major and minor). This postmortem muscular activity may have an impact on meat quality attributes such as drip loss, shear force, and breast meat color, and this can influence consumer satisfaction and the marketability of poultry products. The objective of this study was to use an animal model to estimate genetic parameters for postmortem muscle activity in turkeys during slaughter at a commercial poultry processing plant. A dataset including observations from male turkeys (n = 4,899) was collected between June 2018 and November 2019, with a pedigree comprising 25,081 individuals from six purebred genetic lines. An animal model including the fixed effects genetic line, age, hatch week-year, and body weight (BW) was implemented into ASReml 4.2. Postmortem muscle activity was scored by a single observer using a 1 to 4 categorical scale, where score 1 represents none to minimal muscle quivering, score 2 represents mild wing flapping, score 3 represents moderate spasmodic body movement and curled body posture, and score 4 represents severe wing flapping and full body movement. Heritability for postmortem wing flapping activity was low and estimated to be 0.06 ± 0.022. Further research is needed to evaluate the best model for this trait and estimate genetic correlations with other economically important traits. This study represents a first step toward improving meat quality through the investigation of postmortem muscle activity.

Quantitative assessment and genomic profiling of Campylobacter dynamics in poultry processing: a case study in the United Arab Emirates integrated abattoir system.

In the United Arab Emirates, no previous research has investigated the dynamics of the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter in broiler abattoir processing. This study conducted in one of the largest poultry producers in the UAE, following each key slaughter stage-defeathering, evisceration, and final chilling-five broiler carcasses were collected from 10 slaughter batches over a year. Additionally, one caecum was obtained from 15 chickens in each slaughter batch to evaluate the flock colonization. In total, 300 samples (150 carcasses and 150 caeca) were collected and enumerated for Campylobacter using standard methods. Campylobacter was pervasive in caecal samples from all slaughter batches, with 86% of carcasses post-defeathering and evisceration stages and 94% post-chilling tested positive for Campylobacter. Campylobacter coli predominates in 55.2% of positive samples, followed by Campylobacter jejuni in 21%, with both species co-existing in 23.8% of the samples. Campylobacter counts in caecal contents ranged from 6.7 to 8.5 log10 CFU/g, decreasing post-defeathering and evisceration to 3.5 log10 CFU/g of neck skin and further to 3.2 log10 CFU/g of neck skin post-evisceration. After chilling, 70% of carcasses exceeded 3 log10 CFU/g of neck skin. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 48 isolates unveiled diverse sequence types and clusters, with isolates sharing the same clusters (less than 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms) between different farms, different flocks within the same farm, as well as in consecutive slaughter batches, indicating cross-contamination. Multiple antimicrobial resistance genes and mutations in gyrA T86I (conferring fluoroquinolone resistance) and an RNA mutation (23S r.2075; conferring macrolide resistance) were widespread, with variations between C. coli and C. jejuni. WGS results revealed that selected virulence genes (pglG, pseD, pseI, flaA, flaB, cdtA, and cdtC) were significantly present in C. jejuni compared to C. coli isolates. This study offers the first insights into Campylobacter dynamics in poultry processing in the UAE. This work provides a base for future research to explore additional contributors to Campylobacter contamination in primary production. In conclusion, effective Campylobacter management demands a comprehensive approach addressing potential contamination sources at every production and processing stage, guided by continued microbiological surveillance and genomic analysis to safeguard public health and food safety.

Real-time Sorting of Broiler Chicken Meat with Robotic arm: XAI-enhanced Deep Learning and LIME Framework for Freshness Detection

Ensuring food safety in poultry processing is crucial due to the risk of contamination, which can lead to health hazards. Traditional methods for sorting chicken meat based on freshness are often manual and prone to error, necessitating the development of an automated, accurate sorting system. This research focuses on integrating Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) with Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME) to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of sorting broiler chicken meat into fresh and rotten categories. This study employed the InceptionV3 CNN model combined with LIME for transparent decision-making. The model was trained and tested on a dataset of chicken meat images to guide a robotic arm for real-time sorting. The system achieved an impressive sorting accuracy of 96.3 %, outperforming traditional manual methods. With the guidance of the CNN-LIME integration, the robotic arm successfully processed 1000 samples of fresh and 300 samples of rotten chicken meat, achieving a precision of 94.19% for fresh meat and 97.24% for rotten meat. This integration significantly improved sorting accuracy and efficiency in poultry processing, providing a reliable method for distinguishing between fresh and rotten chicken meat. This system improves food safety and operational efficiency in automated food processing. It shows the effectiveness of combining explainable AI with robotics, reducing human exposure to harmful contaminants ethically. It also contributes to public health by ensuring safer food products. This research presents a new approach to automated food sorting by integrating CNNs with LIME for transparency and accuracy. This can be beneficial for food processing industries and researchers in the field of AI and robotics.

Biolaminates as an Example of Upcycling Product with Keratin Flour-Research and Thermal Properties Modeling.

Keratin waste, including keratin powder, is a significant byproduct of the poultry processing and meat industries. It is a major contributor to waste management problems due to its volume and the environmental pollutants that it can produce. The disposal of keratin waste is challenging due to the potential for odors and pathogens to enter the soil and water. The aim of this work is to present the possibility of using waste materials in accordance with the principles of upcycling and producing fully valuable products. In this research, the author focuses on the production and research of textile multilayer laminates using keratin flour that had been previously considered waste material. New textile composites should be characterized by increased thermal insulation properties with constant comfort in use. This research determines the physiological comfort interpreted as the state of the human-laminate system, which maintains the conditions of comfort in human perception, i.e., constant temperature and humidity of the body under changing conditions of a relative humidity environment.

Persistence of Salmonella and Campylobacter on Whole Chicken Carcasses under the Different Chlorine Concentrations Used in the Chill Tank of Processing Plants in Sri Lanka.

The persistence of non-typhoidal Salmonella and Campylobacter in chicken meat is a considerable public health risk and a future challenge. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry processing lines where different chlorine concentrations were used in the chill tank. The samples were collected from four types of processing plants in Sri Lanka, considering the chlorine concentration used in the chill tank, which ranged from 2 ppm to 50 ppm. Salmonella and Campylobacter were isolated from whole carcass washings, neck skin, and cecal samples. Subsequently, an antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed for the isolates. The results revealed the overall prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter was 78.25% and 63.5%, respectively. Positive percentages of Salmonella and Campylobacter were high in the carcasses compared to the neck skin and ceca. The Campylobacter counts on the whole carcasses were significantly low (p < 0.001), at higher chlorine concentrations ranging from 20 to 30 ppm and 40 to 50 ppm. The pathogen prevalence in the whole carcasses was 84.7% Campylobacter coli, 39.1% Campylobacter jejuni, 71.1% Salmonella Typhimurium, and 28.8% Salmonella Infantis. The highest resistance was observed for tetracycline (63.8%) in Salmonella, while it was for gentamicin (87.8%) in Campylobacter. The prevalence percentage of multidrug-resistant Campylobacter was 51.2%, while it was 2.12% for Salmonella. The persistence of multidrug-resistant Salmonella and Campylobacter on the post-chill carcasses was highlighted in the present study as a significant public health threat that has to be addressed urgently.

Comparative Gene Expression Analysis of Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 in Ground Chicken Extract and Brain Heart Infusion Broth.

Salmonella enterica Typhimurium DT104 (S. Typhimurium DT104) is an important foodborne pathogen that is associated with poultry and poultry products. Currently, there is very little information on the underlying molecular mechanisms that allow DT104 to survive and propagate in poultry meat and the poultry processing environment. The current study assessed the global gene expression of DT104 in ground chicken extract (GCE) compared to brain heart infusion (BHI) medium using RNA-Seq technology. DT104 was grown to the early stationary phase (ESP), inoculated into GCE or BHI, and then re-grown to the log phase before RNA was extracted and transcripts were quantified by RNA-Seq. Gene expression for DT104 grown in GCE was then compared to that of DT104 grown in BHI for samples grown to the ESP. Growth in GCE resulted in the up-regulated expression of genes related to translation, carnitine metabolism (23-283-fold change), and cobalamin (vitamin B12) biosynthesis (14-fold change). In particular, the presence of carnitine in chicken meat, and thus, in GCE, which lacks carbohydrates, may allow Salmonella to utilize this compound as a carbon and nitrogen source. This study demonstrates that RNA-Seq data can provide a comprehensive analysis of DT104 gene expression in a food model for poultry products. This study also provides additional evidence for the importance of metabolic adaptation in the ability of S. enterica to successfully adapt to and occupy niches outside of its host and provides potential targets that could be used to develop intervention strategies to control Salmonella in poultry.

Extraction and physicochemical characterization of native and broiler chicken feet gelatin.

Poultry processing generates a large amount of industrial waste, which is rich in collagen content. This waste can be utilized for the extraction of valuable components such as gelatin, which can be used as an alternative to mammalian gelatin (porcine and bovine). Gelatins were analyzed for their yield, proximate analysis, pH, color, viscosity, bloom strength, and texture profile analysis. The yield of broiler chicken feet gelatin (BCFG) was slightly higher (7.93%) as compared to native chicken feet gelatin (NCFG) (7.06%). The protein content was 85.92% and 82.53% for BCFG and NCFG. Both gelatin had moisture content in the standard range (< 15) as given by Gelatin Manufacturers of Europe (GME). Both gelatins showed higher bloom strength (326 g for NCFG and 203 g for BCFG) at 6.67% gelatin concentration, classified as high bloom. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis showed amide I, amide A, amide B at 1636 cm-1, 3302 cm-1, 2945 cm-1 for NCFG and 1738 cm-1, 3292 cm-1, 2920 cm-1 for BCFG. At 6.67% gelatin concentration, hardness and cohesiveness values were also higher than commercial gelatin previously studied. The pH values for NCFG were 5.43 and BCFG was 5.31. Both NCFG and BCFG viscosities (4.43 and 3.85 cP) were in the optimum range of commercial gelatins (2-7 cP). Hence, the present study concluded that both NCFG and BCFG have a huge potential to replace commercial mammalian gelatins (porcine and bovine) in the food industries. However further studies should be done to optimize the extraction process. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Enhancing microbial control in poultry processing: A comprehensive study on carcass washing systems

AbstractIn the poultry industry, the evisceration stage often sees the highest microbial load on chicken carcasses. While manual trimming has traditionally been employed to remove gastrointestinal contamination, Brazilian legislation allows the use of a carcass washing system as an alternative. This study aimed to establish and validate a protocol for the use of a chicken carcass washing system as a replacement for manual trimming in a major poultry processing facility in southern Brazil. The methodology followed international standards for microbial analysis such as total mesophilic counts and Enterobacteriaceae. Comparing contamination levels before and after treatments, significant reductions are seen. Manual trimming reduced contamination by 39.43% (gastric), 53% (fecal), and 50% (biliary). Washing achieved greater reductions, with a 96.37% drop in gastric contamination and complete elimination (100%) of fecal contamination. These results met statistical significance. Both procedures reduced contamination levels. Manual trimming maintained 50% of samples below the mean value without exceeding upper control limits (UCL). Washing increased the percentage of samples below the mean value from 46% to 54%, demonstrating its superior efficiency. For Enterobacteriaceae, trimming maintained 44% of samples below the mean value, and washing increased it from 46% to 48%. In conclusion, the carcass washing system effectively removes visible gastrointestinal contents, meeting regulatory standards and receiving authorization from the Federal Inspection Service for use in the facility.

Factors Related to a Good Quality of Work Life for Employees in the Poultry Processing Industry in Northeastern Thailand

OBJECTIVE This study aims to analyze factors related to a good quality of work life (QoWL) for employees in the poultry processing industry in northeastern Thailand. METHODS This study was a cross-sectional analytical study. The sample size was 229 poultry processing workers with good and 458 with not-good QoWL. The Work-related Quality of Life Scale-2 Online Website (THQWL) questionnaire was used. A test of the reliability of the questionnaire found a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.899. The principal analyses used the Chi-squared test, the Fisher exact test, and binary logistic regression. Confidence intervals were set at 95% (95% CI), and a p-value of less than 0.05 (p &lt; 0.05) was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Factors significantly related to employees with a good QoWL were working in departments other than slaughtering departments (AOR = 15.58, 95% CI: 7.62, 31.83, p &lt; 0.001), having less than a bachelor’s degree education level (AOR = 6.65, 95% CI: 3.05, 14.49, p &lt; 0.001), being a unit leader or in an upper level position (AOR = 7.26, 95% CI: 3.30, 15.98, p &lt; 0.001) and working 40 or more hours per week (AOR= 1.92, 95% CI: 1.17, 3.16, p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS Not working in the slaughtering department showed the strongest association with good QoWL. Other factors significantly linked to good QoWL included an education level lower than a bachelor’s degree, holding positions as unit leaders or in upper management, and working 40 hours or more per week. The study’s findings can be applied to enhance and promote the QoWL of workers in the poultry processing and related industries as well as to help improve and reinforce the knowledge, skills, and other attributes important to the efficient performance of employees in the poultry processing industry. KEYWORDS quality of work life, poultry processing industry, work- related quality of life scale, slaughtering

Extending the shelf-life of refrigerated chicken fillets by using polymeric coating layer composed of ginger Zingiber officinale essential oil loaded-chitosan nanoparticles

AbstractThis study aims to evaluate the effect of coating chicken fillets with chitosan nanoparticles (CHN) loaded with ginger (Zingiber officinale) essential oil (GEO) on sensory characteristics, microbiological safety, and deterioration criteria; refrigerated at 4 °C. Furthermore, to determine whether different coatings could increase the storage period of chilled chicken fillets. Consequently, about 6 kg of chicken fillet were equally distributed into six groups. The first group being control (C), the second and third groups being ginger essential oil 0.5% (GEO 0.5%) and 1% (GEO 1%), the fourth group being chitosan nanoparticles alone (NCH 1%), the fifth and sixth groups were chitosan nanoparticles loaded with ginger essential oil 0.5% (NCHGO 0.5%), and 1% (NCHGO 1%). All groups were examined on the initial day of treatment (0-day) and every 4 days until the visible deterioration process appeared in each group. Results revealed that, coating chicken fillet with chitosan nanoparticles and ginger essential oil (NCHGO 1%) produced a powerful synergetic effect during refrigerated storage, as it could significantly inhibit microbial growth, decrease the rate of fat and protein deterioration, and improve sensory attributes. Interestingly, coated chicken fillet in refrigerator could last 28 days instead of 4 days. Ginger loaded-chitosan nanoparticles were employed to produce edible coatings as an efficient natural preservative and flavoring agent in poultry processing.

Poultry processing and value addition in Bangladesh- A review

The poultry sector in Bangladesh has experienced substantial expansion, establishing itself as a crucial element of the country's agricultural economy. Bangladesh is experiencing significant growth in its commercial poultry industry, which includes the commercial processing of chicken. The increase in poultry processing factories is driven by the notion that this particular industry offers better food and presents lower risks of food-borne diseases compared to traditional processing in wet markets. This review examines the various complex aspects of chicken processing and further processing along with product dimensions in Bangladesh market. Furthermore, it presents a thorough analysis of the poultry processing industry in Bangladesh and provides valuable insights on how to optimize its ability to add value, to fulfill the demands of both the domestic and export markets.

Valorization of broiler edible byproducts: a chicken-liver hydrolysate with hepatoprotection against binge drinking

Over 10,000 metric-ton broiler livers are produced annually in Taiwan. Concerning unpleasant odor and healthy issue, broiler livers are not attractive to consumers. Although the patented chicken-liver hydrolysates (CLHs) through pepsin digestion possess several biofunctionalities, there is no study on hepatoprotection of CLH-based formula capsule (GBHP01) against binge drinking (Whiskey, 50% Alc./Vol.). GBHP01 led to an accelerated blood-alcohol clearance in rats, as evidenced by lowering blood-alcohol increment within 0 to 4 h, increasing blood-alcohol decrement within 4 to 8 h, and smaller blood alcohol concentration areas under the curve (BAC AUC) in the 8-h period (p < 0.05). The ameliorative effects of GBHP01 against binge drinking in rats over 6 wk were attributed to accelerated alcohol metabolism by further increasing alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities while downregulating cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) protein expression, elevating antioxidant capacity, decreasing zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) protein decrement and serum endotoxin, and reducing inflammation related protein levels, that is, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and proinflammatory cytokines. The development of CLH supplements could not only enhance the added value of broiler livers through nutraceutical development but also offer a strategy to maximize the utilization of poultry processing residues, as shown in this study.

Energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction potential of solar PV and biomass-based systems for a food processing plant

The industrial sector is one of the most energy-intensive sectors, with a share of nearly 38 % (156 EJ) of all energy used globally in 2020. Historical energy demand and consumption data from a poultry processing plant have been analyzed to lower greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and reliance on traditional energy sources. The study includes energy, economic, and emissions analyses for (a) solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, (b) biomass fuels, and (c) coal-fired with wood. Fixed, single, and two-axis tracking solar PV systems that are company-owned and funded by banks are considered. The historical energy consumption data of the plant shows that 52.36 % of energy demand is met by electrical energy and 47.63 % by thermal energy. The yearly electricity demand is 9,938 MWh, costs $1,192,560, and emits 5117.6 tCO2. Thermal energy demand is based on an annual use of 898 tonnes of coal and 71.6 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which costs $ 143,681 and emits 2977.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide (tCO2). Feasibility of 1.3 MW, fixed axis company-owned, solar PV plant shows an annual electricity production of 1876 MWh, GHG emission reduction of 965.9 tCO2 with a payback period of 3.4 years. Biomass system delivers yearly fuel cost savings of $25,724, reducing 2784 tCO2 with a 1.9-year payback period. Co-firing biomass offers a 3.58 % fuel cost saving and 557 tCO2 with a 0.93-year payback period. It concluded that the wood fuel feedstock biomass option is most suitable renewable energy resource for such large-scale poultry facilities.

Potential water reuse pathways from a life cycle analysis perspective in the poultry industry

Achieving sustainable water use in the food industry requires a paradigm change and transforming it towards circularity by exploring opportunities for water reuse. Life Cycle Assessment can comprehensively evaluate the environmental impacts of the water management and reuse options throughout their life cycle to ensure improvement of environmental performance. Through the example of a poultry processing plant it was shown that improving wastewater treatment technology can reduce the metal depletion category by almost 30 % by cutting down chemical use by 90 %. Further mitigation of environmental damage could be achieved by either choosing technological or agricultural reuse options depending on the needs or local constraints. While the improvement is not massive since the implementation of additional technologies require further resources, the Reduce scenario (technological reuse with 50 % reduction of water consumption) compared to the direct discharge into a surface water body resulted a decrease of 11.0 % and 17.1 % in freshwater consumption and 7.6 % and 2.6 % in metal depletion units. On the contrary, irrigation is better than technological reuse with regard to human health and resource scarcity indicators. Legislative requirements and social acceptance issues might slow down the process of closing the loop in the water management of the food industry; nonetheless results show that opting for water reuse is an environmentally sound solution even in this sector.

Relative resistance of Salmonella serotypes (Typhimurium, Infantis, and Reading) to peroxyacetic acid on chicken wings

Peroxyacetic acid (PAA) is widely used as an antimicrobial in poultry processing. Recent salmonellosis outbreaks caused by Salmonella Infantis (SI) from chicken products and Salmonella Reading (SR) from turkey products have raised concerns about their enhanced resistance (compared to Salmonella Typhimurium [ST]) to commonly used antimicrobial interventions such as PAA. The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of PAA against Salmonella serotypes (Typhimurium, Infantis and Reading), effect on product color and decomposition of PAA at different pH levels. Fresh chicken wings (0.45 kg) were inoculated with a cocktail (ca. 6 log CFU/mL) of nalidixic acid resistant ST, rifampicin resistant SI and kanamycin resistant SR. Inoculated chicken wings were immersed in PAA solutions (100 or 500 ppm; adjusted to either pH 8.5 or unadjusted natural pH) for either 10 s or 60 min to replicate treatments for chicken parts or whole carcasses, respectively. Treated chicken wings were rinsed in buffered peptone water (100 mL) containing sodium thiosulfate (0.1 %), serially diluted in peptone water supplemented with 200 ppm of nalidixic acid, rifampicin or kanamycin for enumeration of ST, SI, and SR respectively, and plated on APC Petrifilm. Immersion of chicken wings in 500 ppm PAA for 60 min resulted in greater microbial reductions (P ≤ 0.05) of ST, SI, SR of ca. Two log CFU/mL each, compared to 10 s treatment. Regardless of concentration and pH of PAA, increased exposure time (60 min vs. 10 s) resulted in greater reductions (P ≤ 0.05) of ST, SI, SR. ST was slightly more resistant to PAA solutions than S. Infantis and S. Reading (P ≤ 0.05) for all experimental conditions (PAA conc, pH, and exposure times). Faster decomposition of PAA (100 and 500 ppm) was observed at pH 8.5 compared to unadjusted, natural pH (P ≤ 0.05). Product color (lightness, L*) was not affected regardless of the PAA concentration, exposure time or the pH.

Exploring the influence of slaughterhouse type and slaughtering steps on Campylobacter jejuni contamination in chicken meat: A cluster analysis approach

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni), a foodborne pathogen, poses notable hazards to human health and has significant economic implications for poultry production. This study aimed to assess C. jejuni contamination levels in chicken carcasses from both backyard and commercial slaughterhouses in Chiang Mai province, Thailand. It also sought to examine the effects of different slaughtering practices on contamination levels and to offer evidence-based recommendations for reducing C. jejuni contamination. Through the sampling of 105 chicken carcasses and subsequent enumeration of C. jejuni, the study captured the impact of various slaughtering practices. Utilizing k-modes clustering on the observational and bacterial count data, the research identified distinct patterns of contamination, revealing higher levels in backyard operations compared to commercial ones. The application of k-modes clustering highlighted the impact of critical slaughtering practices, particularly chilling, on contamination levels. Notably, samples with the lowest bacterial counts were typically from the chilling step, a practice predominantly found in commercial facilities. This observation underpins the recommendation for backyard slaughterhouses to incorporate ice in their post-evisceration soaking process. Mimicking commercial practices, this chilling method aims to inhibit C. jejuni growth by reducing carcass temperature, thereby enhancing food safety. Furthermore, the study suggests backyard operations adopt additional measures observed in commercial settings, like segregating equipment for each slaughtering step and implementing regular cleaning protocols. These strategic interventions are pivotal in reducing contamination risks, advancing microbiological safety in poultry processing, and aligning with global food safety enhancement efforts.