The effect of HACCP implementation on the microbial profile of a poultry abattoir

Abstract

English: As the demand for poultry meat increases, so does the awareness of its potential to contain pathogens and other spoilage bacteria. Due to the nature of the product and the processing involved in the transformation of live birds into carcasses and portions, it is easy for the product to become contaminated. The aim of the study was to determine the microbial profile of the factory before and after Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) implementation. Microbial analysis (total aerobic mesophilic count, coliform and Escherichia coli count, yeast and mould counts, Listeria monocytogenes presence, Salmonella presence and Staphylococcus aureus presence) were performed on the following places and products in the factory: mechanical line after defeathering, manual line after evisceration, mechanical line after evisceration, manual line after spray-washing but before spin chilling, gizzards, hearts, livers, portions, hand swabs, packaging material and conveyor belts. Before HACCP implementation, most of the bacterial counts found in the study was higher than that of the literature. There was, however, a marked reduction in the microbial profile of the carcasses after HACCP implementation. All of the bacterial counts were lowered except for the following: mould counts from the mechanical line after evisceration, E. coli count from the packaging material, total aerobic mesophilic and coliform counts from the conveyor belts. All the pathogens that were tested for were eliminated from the carcasses and other places and products. There was thus an improvement in the microbiological quality of the product. The only section that needed improvement was the conveyor belts as the HACCP system did not reduce or eliminate bacterial or pathogen counts on them. Even though the amount of contamination in the factory was reduced, microbial loads will only be further improved if the broilers that arrive at the processing plant have low microbial contamination levels. The breeder farms should establish a HACCP system to reduce the initial contamination of the flock, in order to decrease the degree of contamination at the factory. The conclusion was drawn that HACCP implementation at this poultry factory was very effective in reducing the microbial load and eliminated the presence of Salmonella, S. aureus and L. monocytogenes.

Afrikaans: Soos die aanvraag na pluimvee vleis toeneem, so ook is daar 'n toename in die bewuswording dat dit potensiële patogene en ander bederf bakteriëe kan bevat. As gevolg van die aard van die produk en prossesering betrokke in die transformasie vanaf lewendige hoender na karkasse en porsies, kan die produk maklik gekontamineer te word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die mikrobiese profiel van die fabriek voor en na "Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)" implementering te bepaal. Die mikrobiese analiese (totale aerobiese mesofiliese telling, kolivorm en Escherichia coli telling, giste en skimmel tellings, Listeria monocytogenes teenwoordigheid, Salmonella teenwoordigheid en Staphylococcus aureus teenwoordigheid) is uitgevoer op die volgende plekke en produkte in die fabriek: meganiese lyn na ontvering, hand-lyn na ontweiding, meganiese lyn na ontweiding, hand lyn na sproeiwas, maar voor spin verkoeling, magies, harte, lewers, porsies, hande van personeel, verpakkingsmateriaal en vervoerbande. Voor die implementering van "HACCP", was die meeste van die bakteriese tellings van die studie hoër as die waardes gevind in die literatuur. Hierdie studie het egter aangetoon dat daar 'n merkbare afname in die mikrobiese profiel van die karkasse was na "HACCP" implementering. Al die bakteriese tellings het gedaal behalwe vir die volgende: skimmel tellings van die meganiese lyn na ontweiding, E. coli telling vanaf die verpakkingsmateriaal, totale aerobies mesofiliese en kolivorme tellings vanaf die vervoerbande Die patogene waarvoor daar getoets is was uitgeskakel vanaf die karkasse en ander plekke en produkte. Daar was dus 'n deftnitiewe verbetering in die kwaliteit van die produk. Die enigste afdeling wat verbetering benodig is die vervoerbande, aangesien die huidige sisteem nie 'n vermindering of eliminering van bakteriese of patogeen tellings tot gevolg gehad het nie. Alhoewel die vlak van kontaminasie in die fabriek verminder is, sal die mikrobiese las slegs verder verbeter as die hoenders wat by die prosseserings aanleg arriveer lae mikrobiese kontaminasie vlakke besit. Die broeiplase moet 'n "HACCP" sisteem vestig om die aanvanklike kontaminasie van die pluimvee te verminder om sodoende die graad van kontaminasie by die fabriek te verminder. Die gevolgtrekking was dat "HACCP" implementasie by hierdie pluimvee fabriek baie effektief was in die vermindering van die mikrobiese lading en dat dit die teenwoordigheid van Salmonella, S. aureus en L. monocytogenes uitgeskakel het.