Purpose: To evaluate the efficiency of a High Pressure System (HPS) with water to remove the AGC from poultry carcasses and to compare its influence on the microbiological quality.
Methods: A pilot study was developed in a slaughter with a level of 5% of carcasses with AGC after evisceration, but before chilling (review step). Six groups of carcasses, representing three treatments were collected (500 carcasses each). HPS was installed prior to the review step and operated with 1.5 l of water/carcass (10 kgf/cm2). Detection and enumeration of Salmonella and Campylobacter were conducted using ISO methods and indicators aerobic mesophilic, E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae using 3M Petrifilm. Validation of HPS was conducted in four slaughterhouses with AGC up to 12% (3,250 carcasses). For validation the Bax System (DuPont Qualicon) was used for Campylobacter analysis.
Results: Distribution of Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry carcasses was heterogeneous amongst the different treatments and the presence of these pathogens was not related with the presence of AGC on the carcasses. No statistical difference (P < 0.05) was observed between the samples indicating that AGC presence on the carcasses do not affect negatively the microbiological quality of the carcasses. HPS showed several advantages over trimming.
Significance: The results of this study were used by the Brazilian government as the scientific basis for a new regulation, published at the end of 2011, allowing the use of water to remove AGC from chicken carcasses.