2. Introduction
Poultry industry is growing faster
In India, poultry meat production ranks second to bovine meat
production
This growth of production directly reflects an increase in its
consumption
Hygiene in poultry processing -a major issue
Hygienic practices will - increase the quality and shelf life of meat
- reduce the contamination of the carcass
3. Hygienic poultry processing
Hygiene
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "Hygiene
refers to conditions and practices that help to maintain health and
prevent the spread of diseases.
Poultry processing
Poultry processing is the term used by the poultry industry to
describe the conversion of live poultry into raw poultry products fit
for human consumption
4. Scalding
STEPS FOR HYGIENIC POULTRY PROCESSING
Feed removal
Catching &
transportation
Ante- mortem
inspection
Stunning Killing &
Bleeding
DefeatheringPinningSingeingWashing
Oil gland and
feet removal
Evisceration
Post mortem
Inspection
Giblet Harvest
Head, Crop,
Neck, and
Lung Removal
Bird Wash
(Inside/Outside)
Chilling
Weighing and
Grading
PackingStorage
5. Feed withdrawal
Feeders are raised above the reach of the bird
To reduce the extend of faecal contamination in processing
To avoid live shrinkage and decreased eviscerated yield
The optimum withdrawal time for feed is 12 hours prior to
processing
6. Catching
Equipment should be removed.
Caught at night or under dim light
Manually caught by shank and in large farms
Mechanical harvesters are used to reduce defects occurred while
manual catching
8. Transportation – Live Birds
Usually transported at cooler hours
crates or cages are used
When the birds arrive allow them some rest time
Reducing their stress level
10. Unloading
Unloading is gone manually
The crates can be unloaded onto a conveyer belt
The birds are then conveyed to the employee
Then they are place on a moving shackle line
12. Stunning
Make the birds unconscious prior to slaughter.
Done to easier and safer handling
Types of stunning
A. Electrical
The birds head is dragged through a electrified brine solution at a
point immediately below the eye
Water can be sprayed on the feet to improve the stun
Not greater than 35-volt and 0.3amps - 8 second
13. B. Gas /modified atmosphere stun-kill
Carbon dioxide or argon gas is used.
The bird is exposed to a mixture of 80% carbon dioxide and less
than 5% oxygen
14. Killing and Bleeding
Bleeding is done by opening the blood vessels in the neck
There are several ways of cutting the blood vessels in poultry:
A. HALAL
Also known as modified kosher method
Traditionally manual cutting of the blood vessels is permitted
17. B. JUTKHA method
Cutting and removing the head
It is painful and unscientific method
The bleed out phase can take anywhere between 2-5 min
depending on bird size and type
19. Scalding
There are three commonly employed scalding schemes:
a. Soft/semi-scalding: 50-53ºC for 1-3 min, broilers and
young turkeys
b. Sub/medium scalding: 54-58ºC for 1-2 min, mature
birds
c. Hard scalding: 59-61ºC for 0.75-1.5 min, waterfowl
26. Oil Gland and Feet Removal
Cut off the oil gland from the tail area.
The cut must be precise and remove the entire gland without
damaging
Feet are commonly removed at the knee joint
27. Evisceration
Opening the body cavity and withdrawing the viscera
Manually using a knife and scissors
Care should be taken not to pierce the viscera
30. Post mortem Inspection
After evisceration
All parts are exposed at the same time.
Viscera can reveal diseases and other problems
Inspection is essential to ensure that only healthy birds reach the
market
Examinated for bruises, leukosis, septicaemia-toximia, synovitis,
tuberculosis, air sacculitis, tumors, melanosis, cadavers,
contamination, over scald etc
32. Head, Crop, Neck, and Lung Removal
The head and crop are commonly removed after inspection
If the lungs were not removed during evisceration
Lungs are removes by lung scope or vacuum guns
34. Chilling
Reduce the growth of microorganism
Carcass temperature - 4°C
A. Immerse chilling
It is common to employ long chillers
With crushed ice
Carcass temperatures to about 4 - 5°C within 30 - 75 min
35. B. AIR CHILLING
Birds are normally
hang on shackles
Passed through a
refrigerated blast room
Where cold air is
sprayed
Until the carcass
temperature is
lowered to 40c
36. Weighing and Grading
After chilling, the birds are weighed
Grading can be done by a qualified worker or a computerized
machine vision system
37. Packing
Packaging has been developed as a way to protect food from the
environment during handling, from transportation to preparation.
38. Storage
Mainly there are two types of storage;
A. Refrigerated/chilled:
At 20 to 40C
Up to 7 days
B. Frozen:
at -180 to 200 C
Up to 6-8 months
39. Conclusion
Poultry processing is a complex combination of biology, chemistry,
engineering, marketing, and economics.
Human food is the main goal of poultry processing.
Hygiene in poultry processing is the major issue.
Proceeding with hygienic practices will increase the quality and shelf
life of meat.
40. Reference
Donald D Bell, William D Weaver, Commercial chicken meat and egg
production (5th edition)
Isabel Guerrero-Legarreta, Hand book of poultry science and
technology (primary processing)
Shai Barbut, The Science of Poultry and Meat Processing
G. C. Mead, Poultry meat processing and quality