EFFECTS OF LACTIC-ACID IN PROCESSING WATERS ON THE INCIDENCE OF SALMONELLAE ON BROILERS

Commercial broilers were inoculated with 105‐106/mL Salmonella typhimurium in the drinking water at 14, 10, 7, 4, and 2 days prior to processing. At 49 days of age, broilers were processed in a pilot processing facility. In additional trials, commercially‐obtained pre‐ and post‐chill carcasses were subjected to microbiological testing. Lactic acid (LA) (1%) was added to the scald and/or chill waters or to pre‐ (2%) or post‐chill (1%) dips to reduce microbial contamination on ready‐to‐cook carcasses. In each trial, 12 carcasses per treatment were sampled for the presence of salmonellae (inoculated serotype and/or indigenous organisms) using a whole carcass rinse technique. The dip applications evaluated included 1 and 2% LA at various temperatures and exposure periods. Two control treatments which were not subjected to LA but were processed and handled similar to treated carcasses were evaluated for each trial conducted. Treatments that consistently resulted in reduced levels of salmonellae on carcasses included LA treatment (1%) in the chill water, a pre‐chill dip (2% for 2 min at 37 C), 1% LA as a post‐chill dip (≥60 s at 1.1 C), and 2% LA as a pre‐chill dip (60 s at 37 C). All picked carcasses treated with LA exhibited mild skin discoloration, particularly in the highly pigmented areas. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved