VALIDATION OF REDUCED WATER RENEWAL QUANTITY IN THE COOLING SYSTEM FOR QUAILS CARCASSES

The cooling of carcasses in slaughterhouses is of utmost importance to control microbial growth and ensure product safety. Among the methods used, water immersion cooling is common in poultry slaughterhouses, but it results in high water consumption. This study was conducted in a quail slaughterhouse with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness and validating the renewal of 400 mL of water per quail carcass during immersion cooling. Current legislation requires 1.5 liters of water for carcasses weighing up to 2.5 kg of meat, which may lead to waste when applied to quails due to their lower weight. Four tests were performed using a single-stage continuous chiller with immersion times of 25 and 30 minutes. Carcass and water temperatures were monitored, water absorption by the carcasses was measured, and microbiological analyses for Enterobacteriaceae and aerobic mesophiles were conducted. The results showed that 400 mL of water per carcass is sufficient for cooling without increasing microbial proliferation, meeting legal parameters for water temperature, carcass temperature, and water absorption by the quails. It is concluded that the use of this optimized volume reduces water consumption and operational costs without compromising product safety, and highlights the need for specific guidelines and legislation for quail processing.