Abstract:
To pinpoint the principal location for microbial contamination of fowl
carcass during the preparation, sixty swabs specimens were taken while the
slaughtering process was underway. These specimens were taken from
different parts of the carcass (neck, leg, breast, wing and belly) in order to
run the microbial count after defeathering, evisceration, washing and chilling
steps, which are considered critical control points in the process.
The findings revealed that there was average microbial contamination
especially on the bellies it was 6.80cfu/ml, on the necks and legs it was
6.55cfu/ml and 5.64cfu/ml respectively, whereas on the breast was found to
be 4.49cfu/ml and wings 4.80cfu/ml.
The highest contamination of total bacterial count occurred at the
evisceration step 6.54 cfu/ml, defeathering 4.99 cfu/ml, washing 5.15 cfu/ ml
and at the chilling 4.99 cfu/ml.
Counts
for
pathogenic
bacteria;
Salmonella,
E.
coli
and
Staphylococcus aureus and Coliforme was conducted. The highest average
count was 267.29 cfu/ml for Coliform bacteria then the E. coli 30.19 cfu/ml
and Staphylococcus aureus 10.22 cfu/ml.
The Salmonella was found after defeathering, evisceration and
washing steps, but not at all after chilling.
To check the labour force as a source of contamination to the product,
twelve swabs specimen were taken from their hands at the different steps of
processing mentioned above. The average of the bacterial count was evident
(5.55 cfu/ml) beyond dought. Also there was count for the pathogenic
bacteria; the average for E.Coli was 13.00cfu/ml and Staphylococcus was
vi
2.18 cfu/ml. The average for Coliform was 85.25cfu/ml. Salmonella was
found at evisceration and washing, but not after defeathering and chilling.
Knives as a source of contamination were swabbed sampled, and the
average of the bacterial count was 4.02 cfu/ml. The average of the
Pathogenic bacteria was detected as, 1.25 cfu/ml for Staphylococcus aureus,
but Salmonella and E. coli were not there. Also the average for Coliform
was 6.50 cfu/ml.
