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Abstract
1. The present systems for cleaning the plastic crates (drawers) used to transport live poultry to the processing plant are known to be inadequate for removing microbial contamination.
2. To investigate possible improvements, a mobile experimental rig was constructed and operated in the lairage of a poultry processing plant. The cleaning rig could simulate the conditions of commercial cleaning systems and utilise freshly emptied crates from the processing plant.
3. The aim of the study was to improve cleaning by enhancing the removal of adherent organic material on the crates and by reducing microbial contamination by at least 4 log10 units.
4. Trials showed that the most effective treatments against Campylobacter were either (a) the combination of soaking at 55°C, brushing for 90 s, washing for 15 s at 60°C, followed by the application of disinfectant (Virkon S in this study) or (b) the use of ultrasound (4 kW) at 65°C for 3 to 6 min, with or without mechanical brushing of crates.
5. Both of these treatments also achieved a 4 log10 reduction or more in the counts of Enterobacteriaceae but were less effective in reducing aerobic plate counts.
6. It was noted that there was little correlation between the visual assessment of crate cleanliness and microbiological counts.
7. It was concluded that the demonstrated enhanced cleaning could contribute significantly to overall hygiene control in poultry meat production.
Acknowledgement
The work described in this paper formed part of a project funded by the UK Food Standards Agency. The authors are indebted to the management and technical staff of the poultry companies who collaborated in this research and to PLC Ltd for their advice and loan of the ultrasonic equipment.