An assessment of steam pasteurization and hot water immersion treatments for the microbiological decontamination of broiler carcasses Original Research Article

The effects of steam pasteurization and hot water immersion treatments on the microbiological profile of whole broiler carcasses and thigh pieces were investigated. Hot water immersion of broiler thigh pieces for 10 s at 80°C and 85°C resulted in significant reductions of 1.09 and 1.25 cfu g−1 in total viable bacteria (P⩽0.05). Significant decreases in the numbers of thermophilic Campylobacter were observed on artificially contaminated skin samples following 10 s immersions in water maintained at 75°C, 80°C or 85°C (P⩽0.05). A 20 s immersion in water at 80°C and 85°C resulted in significant reductions in the recovery of total viable bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and Campylobacter (P⩽0.05). Statistically insignificant reductions in the counts of total viable bacteria together with levels of Enterobacteriaceae and thermophilic campylobacters were observed on broiler carcasses exposed to atmospheric steam at 90°C for 12 s when compared to untreated control carcasses. When the exposure time in the steam pasteurization chamber was increased to 24 s, significant reductions in the counts of these organisms were observed with 0.75, 0.69 and 1.3 log10 cfu g−1 decreases in total viable counts, Enterobacteriaceae and campylobacters, respectively (P⩽0.05). Visible damage to the outer epidermal skin tissue was observed in both the hot water immersion and steam pasteurization treatments used in the current study.