Improving the microbial quality and increasing the shelf life of chicken carcasses using the immersion method in acetic acid in the chiller section of the slaughterhouse

In this research, the effect of acetic acid in the chiller section of the slaughterhouse, with two concentrations of 1% and 0.5%, at a fixed time of 15 minutes, was investigated on the total microbial count and the increase in the shelf life of chicken carcasses. For this purpose, the control samples were kept for 15 minutes in normal water with a temperature of 0-3 degrees Celsius (similar to the water temperature of the slaughterhouse chiller). Other samples were placed in separate containers for 15 minutes under the effect of water with a concentration of 1% and 0.5% acetic acid at a temperature of 0-3 degrees Celsius. Then, the samples treated with different levels of acetic acid were compared with the control samples in terms of total number of microorganisms and retention time. The results of the tests showed that acetic acid, at both levels, significantly (p < 0.05) caused a decrease in the microbial load of the whole chicken carcass and an increase in its shelf life in the refrigerator, and due to the significant superiority of 1% concentration of acetic acid This concentration can be used in the water chiller with the aim of improving microbial safety and increasing the shelf life of chicken carcasses during storage in the refrigerator.