Cross‐contamination during the scalding and plucking of broilers

Abstract

Experiments were carried out in 2 poultry slaughtering plants to estimate cross-contamination occurring during the scalding and plucking of broilers. To stimulate the external (dust and feather) and internal (intestinal) contamination of broilers the carcasses were artificially contaminated with a strain of Escherichia coli K12. Cross-contamination occurred at both stages in the processing when the carcasses were contaminated externally; when the broilers were contaminated internally slight cross-contamination occurred only during plucking. Broilers which were contaminated externally before scalding resulted in more numerous carcasses that were contaminated after the whole slaughtering procedure than those contaminated internally. In 1 processing plant there were fewer contaminated carcasses after cooling than after plucking, while in the other plant no differences were found in the number of positive carcasses after these 2 stages in processing.