Purpose: Identify the contamination by Salmonella, Campylobacter and indicator microorganisms in main steps along the poultry slaughter in a industry located in south of Brazil to map the critical points of microbiological contamination.
Methods: Ten lots were evaluated in different days. Each day carcasses were collected before and after scalding, after plucking, before and after evisceration, from critical control point of fecal contamination, before and after chiller, scalding and chiller water (n = 130). Detection of Salmonella and Campylobacter were conducted using PCR BAX System and aerobic mesophilic (AM), E. coli (EC), total coliforms (TC) and Enterobacteriaceae (EB) using 3M Petrifilm.
Results: Campylobacter was not isolated in any sample. Salmonella was present in nine of the thirteen steps evaluated with 10% of positivity. In four of ten sampling days any Salmonella was detected. Detection of Salmonella was heterogeneous, indicating that the presence of bacteria is dependent of several factors. For indicator microorganisms statistical difference (P > 0.05, Tukey test) was observed between same steps for all the microorganisms tested. From beginning to the end of the process, reduction of 2.77 for AM, 3.42 for EC, 2.66 for TC and 3.36 log CFU/g for EB was observed.
Significance: The study was used to evaluate the microbiological performance of a poultry slaughter industry in Brazil and establish strategies to decrease microbiological contamination.