Cleaning and disinfection in the poultry sector
The poultry sector plays an important role in Europe, not only as a meat supplier, but also culturally and economically. Many of the European dishes include chicken or turkey as an ingredient. Poultry meat consumption across the European Union reached 11.817 million metric tons in 2022.
The EU produced an estimated 13.2 million tonnes of poultry meat in 2021, which is equivalent to an estimated decrease of 2.9% compared to 2020. This reduction must be seen in the context of a strong trend production rise. Between 2006 and 2021, EU poultry meat production increased by 3.9 million tonnes, a cumulative increase of around 41%.
In this publication we will deal with the main characteristics and problems of the sector from the point of view of hygiene and provide you with the best possible solutions.
When it comes to production, poultry is the second most produced and consumed meat in the EU, after pork (Figure 1). Poultry meat production is significantly the largest sub-sector of the poultry meat production chain, followed by beef, lamb and goat meat.
Figure 1. Meat production by species, EU 2006-2021 (Source: Eurostat).
Figure 2. Poultry meat production in the EU (Source: European Commission)
Figure 3. Main poultry products produced in the EU (Source: European Commission)
According to the European Commission, six member states produced almost three quarters of all EU production, with Poland continuing to be the largest producer, producing 19% of production in 2021. This is followed by France (13%) followed by Spain (12%), Germany (12%), Italy (10%) and the Netherlands (7%).
Quality and safety issues are of great concern in the poultry industry, and particularly in slaughterhouses and poultry cutting facilities, where the implementation of strategies to control pathogenic microorganisms is essential to obtain safe food for the consumer, as well as to minimize the presence of spoilage microorganisms, which can reduce the shelf life of the products.
Poultry meat is a highly perishable food, as it is an excellent microbial growth medium. Microorganisms affect product shelf life when the number of microorganisms per gram of meat exceeds 1.0 x 10 5 cfu/cm 2(Processing and quality of poultry meat). It is then when changes begin to appear in the form of an unpleasant odor, color changes, surface viscosity, and the product becomes unacceptable for human consumption. Therefore, all surfaces that the product passes through must be sanitized as much as possible to prevent the transfer of microorganisms. Consequently, several strategies must be taken into account to avoid the multiplication of microorganisms, namely: freezing and frozen storage, cleaning and disinfection, personal hygiene, separation of space between areas, sanitization during the working day, etc. Pseudomonas is the most common spoilage microorganism, which can affect the organoleptic quality of the product.
Furthermore, if investment in preventive strategies is not considered, the presence of pathogenic microorganisms can represent a significant impact on public health. The bacterium that causes the greatest number of zoonotic outbreaks is Campylobacter , followed by Salmonella . Another common bacteria in poultry meat is Listeria, which is characterized by a high mortality rate. Other pathogenic microorganisms that may be encountered in poultry processing facilities are E. Coli and Staphylococcus spp.
Biofilms
Biofilm formation also poses a threat to meat safety, as many foodborne pathogens can develop biofilms in areas that are difficult to properly clean and disinfect in meat factories. Its formation depends mainly on the interaction between three components: bacterial cells, adhesion surface and environment surrounding the biofilm. Christeyns uses up-to-date technology to quickly and easily detect the presence of biofilms. TBF® 300 is a ready-to-use product that allows the detection of all types of biofilms in the food industry. In addition, we offer a full range of chemicals to remove biofilms.
Figure 3. TBF ® 300 rapid biofilm detection test.
Critical points in the processing chain
The presence of pathogenic microorganisms throughout the production process is continuous. In addition, there are some critical points that can bring cross-contamination from the reception of live birds, to the slaughter area, scalding, plucking and evisceration. This is why analytical and systematic approaches to decreasing the microbial load must be considered and therefore prevention and control strategies must be taken into account, such as cleaning and disinfection procedures, suitable chemicals to remove the type of soil present in each area, etc.
The type of organic dirt is different in each part of the slaughterhouse. In the so-called “dirty stages” of the process (unloading and grabbing the birds, stunning, scalding and plucking) dirty feathers and feces predominate. In the killing and bleeding area, the main dirt is blood, which has special requirements for removal. In the evisceration area, fat, proteins and organic remains of the intestine appear, including microorganisms present in the intestines. In the case of slaughtered chickens, fatty residues are particularly difficult to remove. Cooling tunnel hooks are notoriously difficult to clean, not only because of their large number, but also because they are difficult to access.
Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures
To eliminate the aforementioned food hazards, the basis of a cleaning and disinfection procedure should include at least the following steps:
- Removal of the largest particles through effective water pressure and scrubbing. After this step, walls, equipment and floors should look clean.
- Application of cleaning detergents or detergent-disinfectants intended for food establishments. These help dislodge any remaining dirt, such as grease particles, and keep them in suspension or emulsify them. Detergents are dissolved in water and must be used at the correct concentration recommended by the manufacturer and at the appropriate temperature. They can be applied by spraying, dipping or using foam spray equipment, although some heavily soiled surfaces may require hand scrubbing with non-abrasive pads or brushes.
- The next step consists of rinsing to remove any dissolved or suspended dirt and remaining detergent.
- Disinfection by spraying all surfaces with the recommended dose and contact time.
- Finally, thorough rinsing of food contact surfaces.
Christeyns has a wide range of products, including chlorine alkaline disinfectant detergents, alkaline detergents, acid detergents, and disinfectants with different active ingredients. Specific products have also been developed to solve certain problems, such as the detection and removal of biofilms.
In addition, Christeyns has designed hygienic equipment for cleaning and disinfecting elements that are difficult to clean and/or difficult to access, helping the industry to standardize both procedures and results: ultrasonic hygiene system for hooks , automatic cleaning system and disinfection of conveyor belts , air disinfection systems , etc. Another essential aspect for the poultry industry is to ensure that all personnel accessing the production area comply with the highest hygiene standards. To do this, it is necessary to install a suitable combination of the different personal hygiene equipment offered by Christeyns.
Figure 4. Cavitation hygiene system (HPC).
Furthermore, we cannot lose sight of the importance of controlling or monitoring routine cleaning and disinfection. This will reveal that such operations were carried out correctly and that the facilities were effectively cleaned (physically and bacteriologically) to avoid potential cross-contamination. The control will identify bad practices in carrying out these operations, as well as potential sources of microbiological contamination. In addition, the monitoring results will be useful for progressively improving hygiene and optimizing operating costs.
Chicken is a staple in our diet which makes the poultry industry extremely important in terms of food security. Thus, achieving the highest level of hygiene in the industry will be paramount to ensuring the quality and safety of poultry meat, while encouraging sustainable management of resources such as chemicals, water or energy.
Bibliography
- Eurostat ( https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?oldid=427096#Poultrymeat ) Accessed on January 13, 2023
- Overview of the poultry market. European Commission ( https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2023-01/poultry-meat-dashboard_en_0.pdf ). Accessed on January 13, 2023
- Processing and quality of poultry meat, G Mead – Elsevier, 1 jun. 2004
- Canet, JJ (2020). Salmonella in the poultry industry. Critical points of contamination and prevention strategies. Blog Betelgeux-Christeyns, 13 Noviembre 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- Lorenzo, F. (2019). Quick tools for the microbiological control of surfaces. Blog Betelgeux-Christeyns, April 30, 2019. Accessed January 13, 2023.
- Orihuel, E., Bertó, R. Canet, JJ, Lorenzo, F., Milvaques, A. (2019). Listeria monocytogenes in meat industries. Ed. Betelgeux (Gandia).
Authors
Juan José Canet
Technical Sales Director of the Food division of Christeyns España. Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Valencia and Degree in Economic Sciences from UNED. More than 25 years of experience in the implementation of new products, services and hygiene systems in the food industry.
carmen donet
Export Manager at Christeyns España. Degree in food technology from the Polytechnic University of Valencia. She has participated in numerous European projects to improve food safety in food industries.
Alma Milvaques
Agricultural engineer and graduate in food science and technology (Polytechnic University of Valencia). Laundry Product Application Manager at Christeyns España.Cleaning and disinfection in the poultry sector
