Chlorination of water used for poultry processing

Abstract

The effect on bacterial numbers in the spin‐chillers and on the processed carcasses in a large broiler processing plant of increasing the amount of free residual chlorine by stages from 0 to 20 p.p.m. has been studied. The count at 22° C. on nutrient agar in the chillers and on the birds was lowest at the 18–20 p.p.m. level of chlorine. This effect was less at the 5–8 and 10–13 P‐P‐m. levels. Faecal streptococci, and Staphylococcus aureus on the carcasses were not significantly affected by increasing the chlorine concentration. Coli‐aerogenes numbers were significantly reduced in the spin‐chillers at the highest chlorine level. It is concluded that 18–20 p.p.m. of free chlorine in a suitable water supply is of value in broiler processing but that lower levels of chlorine may not be effective.