Project Number: 6612-41420-009-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Jan 11, 2001
End Date: Jan 10, 2006

Objective:
Reduce or eliminate fecal contamination & food-borne human pathogens that contaminate processing equipment & raw poultry products. Development of: (1)basic information on the role of the feather and feather follicle on the micro of broilers; 2)verfiy models for bacteria movement in commercial scalders; (3) intervention stragegies that may be incorporated into a HACCP plan to reduce aerosols and water usage. Determine efficacy of GRAS status antimicrobials as alternatives.

Approach:
Practices such as feed withdrawal & antimicrobial treatments in feed/water will be evaluated to reduce pathogens carried from the farm to the plant. Killing, scalding/picking & crop removal will be modified to reduce crosscontamination. Use of GRAS compounds to replace chemicals such as chlorine will be evaluated in the pilot plant, & successful combinations then evaluated commercially. The significance of spreading pathogens via aerosols will be determined, especially in the early processing steps (coops to shackle line, bleeding, feather removal.) Maintaining sanitation & process control while reducing water usage will be a major research focus. To develop through cross-breeding, scaleless chickens with commercial briolers, the actual role of the feather follicle in contamination of processed broilers. Research results will be transferred to processing & regulatory personnel for implementation into the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) concept.

Project Team

Hinton, Arthur Northcutt, Julie Buhr, Richard Cason, John

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003   FY 2002   FY 2001