Abstract
Broiler carcasses, each inoculated with about 1000 cells of a marker strain of Salmonella typhimurium , and uninoculated carcasses were prechilled and chilled in a simulated commercial chilling process. For each experiment, fresh water input was either 1.90 liters (0.50 gal) or 0.95 liters (0.25 gal) per carcass, and the chlorine level was 0, 20 or 50 ppm. The rate of fresh water input had no significant effect on either cross-contamination (uninoculated carcasses showing contamination with marker organisms after chilling) or elimination of Salmonella from the inoculated carcasses. Fewer uninoculated carcasses showed marker Salmonella contamination after chilling with 50 ppm of chlorine than 0 ppm, but cross-contamination was not eliminated. Chlorine in the chilling water decreased rapidly due to the effect of organic matter.