Effects of immersion chilling on the microbiological quality of poultry carcasses and cross contamination of Salmonella were studied. Levels of aerobic mezophilic bacteria, coliform, Escherichia coli and the incidence of Salmonella were determined prechill and postchill. The level of coliform and E. coli were reduced by immersion chilling (P0.05) but there was an increase in Salmonella incidence in carcasses exiting the immersion chiller indicating that this may be the point of most significant cross contamination in broiler processing plants. Experiments on microbial decontamination of poultry carcasses with lactic acid were performed. The microbial levels of poultry carcasses were reduced significantly by lactic acid treatment (P

Effects of immersion chilling on the microbiological quality of poultry carcasses and cross contamination of Salmonella were studied. Levels of aerobic mezophilic bacteria, coliform, Escherichia coli and the incidence of Salmonella were determined prechill and postchill. The level of coliform and E. coli were reduced by immersion chilling (P0.05) but there was an increase in Salmonella incidence in carcasses exiting the immersion chiller indicating that this may be the point of most significant cross contamination in broiler processing plants. Experiments on microbial decontamination of poultry carcasses with lactic acid were performed. The microbial levels of poultry carcasses were reduced significantly by lactic acid treatment (P