Microbiological Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of Poultry Carcass Excision Sampling Methods in Brazil

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Agricultural Economics

Background:

• Brazil is a major global exporter of chicken meat, necessitating rigorous microbiological evaluation of carcasses for safety and hygiene.
• Current Brazilian guidelines recommend pooled sampling from multiple carcass regions, which may be labor-intensive and generate waste.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the microbiological effectiveness of neck skin sampling versus pooled sampling for poultry carcasses.
• To evaluate the economic impact, including labor time and protein waste, of these two sampling methods.

Main Methods:

• Assessed Enterobacteriaceae counts in 90 carcasses across different regions.
• Performed Enterobacteriaceae counts on 144 carcasses using both pooled and neck skin sampling methods.
• Quantified labor time and protein waste costs in 18 slaughterhouses.

Main Results:

• Enterobacteriaceae counts in neck, cloaca, and wing regions were comparable to pooled dorsal samples but lower than ventral samples.
• Neck skin sampling demonstrated equivalent or superior microbiological representativeness compared to pooled samples.
• The neck skin method reduced costs by 99%, required less time, and generated less protein waste.

Conclusions:

• Neck skin sampling is a viable, cost-effective, and efficient alternative for microbiological monitoring of poultry carcasses.
• This method offers significant economic benefits and maintains microbiological safety standards.
• Streamlining carcass evaluation can improve overall efficiency in the poultry industry.