Effect of Chilling Broiler Carcasses with Reconditioned Poultry Prechiller Water

ABSTRACT Broiler prechiller overflow water was reconditioned using diatomaceous earth (DE) filtration and ozonation (30.4 mg/L ozone). Reconditioned chiller water meeting the United States Department of Agriculture recycling criteria was used in chilling broiler carcasses. The carcasses were compared chilled with fresh water and crushed ice or with reconditioned chiller water and ice. No significant treatment differences between measures of carcass quality including skin color, taste, or shelf life were detected. Furthermore, no significant differences between whole carcass rinse aerobic plate counts, or coliform and Sabnonellae counts were found for carcasses chilled with fresh or reconditioned chiller water. In conclusion, poultry processing waters may be conserved through recycling practices without adversely affecting the wholesomeness of the carcass. (Key words: carcass quality, broilers, recycling, reconditioning, chiller water