Salmonella and Listeria from stainless steel, polyurethane and polyethylene surfaces in the cutting room of a poultry slaughterhouse / Salmonella and Listeria from stainless steel, polyurethane and polyethylene surfaces in the cutting room of a poultry slaughterhouse

ABSTRACT

Background: The cleaning process in poultry slaughterhouses consists basically on the use of hot water, detergents and disinfectants. The disinfection, which is the last stage of the cleaning process, seeks to reduce the number of total microorganisms and eliminating pathogen, so that levels are kept safe for good quality products. Pathogenic microorganisms such as Salmonella and Listeria are of utmost importance since they may cause foodborne diseases and consequently result in public health and economic losses in the domestic and in exporting markets. Materials, Methods & Results: This study was conducted in the cutting room of a poultry slaughterhouse with capacity to process 20.000 animals per hour in the Southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Samples were collected during preoperational cleaning before the surfaces were washed (without the removal of residues); after washing with hot water at 45 to 50C and 22.5 bar pressure; and after washing with 2% sodium hydroxide detergent. Three disinfectants were tested 0.5% peracetic acid, 2% quaternary ammonium and 1% biguanide, all of them for 15 min, followed by rinsing with hot water. Evaluations were made in three processing lines for cutting chicken legs at the same time and on fully randomized sites of three surfaces stainless steel tables, polyurethane conveyors, and polyethylene cutting boards. The pre-enrichm

RESUMO

Background: The cleaning process in poultry slaughterhouses consists basically on the use of hot water, detergents and disinfectants. The disinfection, which is the last stage of the cleaning process, seeks to reduce the number of total microorganisms and eliminating pathogen, so that levels are kept safe for good quality products. Pathogenic microorganisms such as Salmonella and Listeria are of utmost importance since they may cause foodborne diseases and consequently result in public health and economic losses in the domestic and in exporting markets. Materials, Methods & Results: This study was conducted in the cutting room of a poultry slaughterhouse with capacity to process 20.000 animals per hour in the Southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Samples were collected during preoperational cleaning before the surfaces were washed (without the removal of residues); after washing with hot water at 45 to 50C and 22.5 bar pressure; and after washing with 2% sodium hydroxide detergent. Three disinfectants were tested 0.5% peracetic acid, 2% quaternary ammonium and 1% biguanide, all of them for 15 min, followed by rinsing with hot water. Evaluations were made in three processing lines for cutting chicken legs at the same time and on fully randomized sites of three surfaces stainless steel tables, polyurethane conveyors, and polyethylene cutting boards. The pre-enrichm