11.6.07
FreshFx Recognized for use in the Scalder as a Solution to the ‘Yield/Pathogen Reduction Dilemma’
Article in Watt Poultry USA states that acidic treatments benefit poultry processing plants.
FreshFx Antimicrobial Solution, which is used to reduce pathogens during poultry processing, was identified in an October 2007 Watt Poultry USA article as helping to solve the “yield/pathogen reduction dilemma.”
Citing recent studies in large-scale processing plants, University of Georgia Associate Professor of Poultry Science Scott Russell, Ph.D., stated that adding an acidic disinfectant chemical (such as FreshFx) during scalding “benefits the system, allowing scalder temperatures to be lowered without the concern that Salmonella will begin to grow. And, acids greatly improve picking.”
FreshFx is USDA-approved for use anywhere along the processing line: pre-evisceration in the scalder, over picking rails and in the New York rinse; throughout evisceration and for on-line reprocessing (OLR) as rinses or dips; and for pH control in the chillers, as well as post-chill. Since its approval as a processing aid in January 2003, FreshFx has been used to disinfect nearly 2 billion birds.
“FreshFx can maintain antimicrobial activity even in the presence of the accumulated organic load found in scalder water and other immersion systems,” said John Dankert, Ph.D., CEO of SteriFx Inc., which manufactures FreshFx. “This contrasts sharply with alternatives that would ‘gas-off’ at high temperatures or be inhibited by the organic load, reducing effectiveness.”
The ability to use lower temperatures for scalding reduces energy costs and decreases the amount of fats and oils that are released, which enhances antimicrobial effectiveness. Also, when less fats and oils are released, an increase in yield not related to moisture might be obtained.
Of course, lower temperatures can also create an environment where Salmonella and other pathogens can thrive, and also lead to less efficient picking and other problems. However, by introducing an acidic sanitizer like FreshFx into the scalder, Salmonella incidents are dramatically reduced, and the solution’s low pH acts as a “picking aid,” probably by disrupting connections between the feather and the follicle.
“The SteriFx team works with each plant to address problems of pathogen control, water-acidification, and water savings through re-use, as well as internal validations,” said Dankert. “It is possible that a single application of FreshFx solution used for OLR, then for pathogen control at the New York rinse and pickers, could then be used to acidify the scalders. This could represent cost and water savings — and less organic debris in the system — as less is extracted from the birds at lower temperatures.
“For plants with high incoming Salmonella loads, there is no single silver bullet for Salmonella,” he added. “A multi-point step reduction is usually required. Our customers see significant reductions using this strategy.”
John Dankert, Ph.D.
SteriFx, Inc.
318-425-2515
About SteriFx
SteriFx Inc. provides pathogen control systems, and microbiological and regulatory consulting services, dedicated to reducing or eliminating pathogens for a variety of markets, as well as providing up-to-date information on new regulatory requirements.
For more about SteriFx, please inquire.
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