| Among the many sources of Salmonella contamination in poultry products, poultry transport containers can be a means of spreading Salmonella. This research concentrated on developing a decontamination system to reduce bacterial contamination on the transport containers. The project consisted of two parts: (1) identification of an efficient disinfection method under laboratory conditions, and (2) decontamination of field size poultry transport containers using the techniques identified in the laboratory.; Thirteen disinfectants were tested against Salmonella in vitro in the presence of organic loads by purposely contaminating galvanized steel surfaces (i) with a mixture of poultry manure and five Salmonella serotypes and (ii) with an established biofilm of Salmonella. Scanning electron microscopic techniques were employed in determining the degree of biofilm development. Two compounds, one containing sodium hypochlorite and one containing alkaline peroxide, were effective under established laboratory conditions.; The field scale decontamination system was a 2-step process: (i) pre-cleaning the containers with a high pressure spray of the disinfectant containing alkaline peroxide, and (ii) immersing the containers in either hot water or sodium hypochlorite solution at ambient temperature. A decontamination tank was designed and constructed for immersing the containers. Three variables were used in the immersion studies: water temperature, 24, 50, 60, and 70°C; sodium hypochlorite concentration, 0, 500, 750, and 1000 ppm; and contact time, 0.5, 1, and 2 minutes. Bacterial samples were taken prior to and after pressure washing, and after immersion to determine cleaning.; The effectiveness of decontamination was dependent on the size of the coliform population initially present on the container. However, both the heat and chemical treatments significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the in situ coliform counts by an amount sufficient to reduce the risk of contamination from one group of birds to another. Immersion in sodium hyprochlorite solution at 1000 ppm. for 2 minutes reduced in situ coliforms by 4.2 log cycles. Without the addition of sodium hypochlorite, in situ coliforms were reduced by 2.4 log cycles by immersion in hot water at 70°C. In situ Salmonella appeared to be killed at high water temperatures (60 and 70°C) or high sodium hypochlorite concentrations (750 and 1000 ppm). |
