Water Testing In The Poultry Industry

The poultry industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S. with poultry overtaking beef as the most consumed meat in the United States. With this increased demand, producers must ramp up output to satisfy consumer demand.

A major challenge for poultry producers is expanding their operations whilst maintaining product quality, employee safety, food safety and cost-efficiency.

Why is disinfection so critical for poultry processing?

Poultry is known to be a major source of food outbreaks, with contamination a major concern for poultry processors. Disinfectants are therefore used both of the equipment and birds to minimise the risk of viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms.

Disinfectants used for poultry processing

A wide range of disinfectants are used for poultry processing including chlorine and chlorine dioxide, and this will largely depend on where the poultry is being processed and sold. Regulations in different countries can be vastly different, with preference given to different disinfection methods. In the US, chlorine is a widely used disinfectant, but in the EU the use of chlorine for poultry processing has been banned since 1997.

The use of peracetic acid as a disinfectant in the poultry sector is now growing, with the sanitiser able to be used on organic products.

To learn more about the use of sanitisers in poultry processing, read our support article.

Importance of disinfection monitoring in poultry processing

Testing of wash water for sanitisers including PAA and chlorine is a basic principle included in HACCP plans to help ensure food safety.

With poultry known to be a major source of food outbreaks, poultry producers have increased scrutiny on the sanitation and disinfection procedures. This need to ensure that the carcass is fully sanitised means that many processors are guilty of over-dosing their chemical. Very often seen as better than under-dosing, this technique causes chemical costs to rise and can compromise the quality of the end product.

Effective monitoring of disinfectants can help to save costs and ensure food safety by optimisation chemical dosing. Kemio Disinfection is the most simple and effective method for testing sanitisers in water.

Kemio has been specifically designed to support effective sanitisation in the food and beverage industry – it is the most simple and effective way of testing sanitisers in water. Test for Bromine, Chlorine, Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorite and PAA (peracetic acid) on one instrument with the use of different sensors. To visit the Kemio product page click here. 

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