Microbiological Quality and Presence of Salmonella spp. in Broiler Carcasses with and Without Visible Gastrointestinal Contamination During Industrial Processing

The industrial processing of broiler chickens has become increasingly automated to scale up meat production. However, certain procedures may cause rupture of the gastrointestinal tract, contaminating the products. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of the removal of visible contaminated broiler carcasses from the slaughter line based on their microbiological quality compared to non-contaminated ones. Carcasses were analyzed for <i>Escherichia coli</i> and aerobic mesophilic microorganisms counts, as well as <i>Salmonella</i> spp. detection. Carcasses with gastrointestinal contamination had significantly higher counts of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms and <i>E. coli</i> than those without contamination. However, carcasses without visible contamination also showed high counts of bacteria, indicative of the hygiene and sanitary concerns during slaughter. <i>Salmonella</i> spp. were detected in both types of carcasses, with no significant difference in the frequency of positive samples. The most frequently identified serovar was <i>Salmonella</i> Minnesota. The most frequently detected bacteria were <i>E. coli</i>, <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>, <i>Citrobacter freundii</i>, and <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>. In conclusion, both contaminated and non-contaminated carcasses exhibited high bacterial counts, including potentially pathogenic microorganisms, highlighting the need for post-evisceration steps to reduce microbial contamination.