Pulsed Electric Field Effects to Reduce the Level of Campylobacter spp. in Scalder and Chiller Water during Broiler Chicken Processing

To evaluate the effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) application on scalder and chiller water on Campylobacter contamination, four different treatments under three different water conditions including hard scalder water ($55^{\circ}C$), soft scalder water ($45^{\circ}C$) and chiller water, were applied as follows: i) a control treatment with no salt and no electric treatment, ii) a PEF only treatment, iii) a PEF treatment with 0.5% salt water, and iv) a PEF treatment with 1% salt water treatment. The use of PEF in hard scalding water showed an effect of reducing Campylobacter when compared to the control during the 200 s timeframe. With the addition of salt, the intervention caused at least 5.81 log CFU/ml reduction of Campylobacter counts after 200 s of PEF exposure. Similar effects were observed under soft scalding conditions. Campylobacter reductions were evident under chilling conditions with up to 2.00 log for PEF only, 5.77 log for PEF+0.5% salt and 2.69 log for PEF+1% salt treatment in water. Therefore, the current PEF setting for the scalder and chiller water can be successfully used to reduce pathogenic loads of Campylobacter on broiler chicken carcasses, and further research may be necessary to apply it in the poultry processing industry.