Area of Concern
Shelf life concerns in a poultry processing facility.
Issue
A major poultry processor sought to validate the benefits of using PerQuat® technology in injection systems to increase shelf life.
Background
The source of the problem was linked to a suspected buildup of spoilage organisms and biofilm in the brine tank and injector needles. The existing sanitation program was not effective.
Recommendations
Sterilex proposed the following: circulate the cleaning solution through the CIP injection loop for one hour, then rinse with water. Mix Sterilex Ultra CIP and Sterilex Ultra Activator Solution in the brine tank at a 1:1:10 ratio (10 gallons each, topped to 100 gallons with water) and circulate through all system components for 30–60 minutes. Rinse the drum pump when switching solutions. Flush the injection line and needles with fresh water until a quat test shows none remains, then apply an EPA-approved no-rinse food contact sanitizer.
Results
Treatment of the injector loop with Sterilex PerQuat technology on a daily basis for two weeks resulted in a 4–5 day extension of shelf life for raw dark poultry meat. Delays in microbiological thresholds as well as significant improvements in organoleptic properties were seen throughout the trial.
