PROCESSING ▶▶▶
Reducing pathogenic bacteria during slaughtering and processing
Reducing rates of foodborne outbreaks of disease in humans caused by salmonella and campylobacter continues to be a major challenge worldwide. Cases of human zoonoses are on the increase but a new decontamination unit for processing plants could reduce risks.
H BY TONY MCDOUGAL
ygiene procedures to avoid the growth of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria in the food supply chain are only preventive given that there are no better decontamination methods available and their in-
efficiency is reflected by the widespread prevalence of re- ported foodborne outbreaks. Figures from 2016 showed there were more than 356,000 cases of human zoonoses re- ported throughout the European Union with campylobacter- iosis (246,307) and salmonellosis (94,530) by far the most common. This summer Ireland reported its highest annual level of campylobacteriosis with 3,030 cases – an increase of
8.7% – compared with 2,786 patients in 2017. The highest notification rates were in the 0-4 year age group. Similary, the incidence of campylobacteriosis in the Netherlands in- creased from 33 cases per 1,000 inhabitants in 2017 to 35 last year, with the country reporting 71,000 cases in 2018. But now Norwegian firm Decon SFS believes it has manufac- tured a decontamination unit that can remove more than 99% of pathogenic bacteria during poultrymeat slaughtering and processing. And the results have been so successful that the company has garnered backing from the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 fund through grant support to- talling € 50,000. Decon, led by former Nutreco NV communi- cations and crisis management director Vidar Julien, was cre- ated to develop and commercialise food decontamination technologies to eliminate bacteria from poultrymeat.
Superheated steam Eight years after trials started the company has produced the Deconizer (TRL6-7), a decontamination unit based on hydro thermal bacteriolysis (HTB) technology. This uses superheat- ed steam in combination with a large electromagnetic field which charges the steam particles directing them towards the meat surface and eliminating 99% of the bacteria. The product has been tested and validated by the Norwegian Food Research Institute, Nofima, and under market condi- tions at the Spanish companies Group Sada and Pujante, where decontamination rates of over 99% were confirmed. The product’s uniqueness lies in the reduction of carcas cross-contamination while having no impact on visual ap- pearance, taste, smell or colour and extending the shelf life of products. The meat remains fresh compared with other pre- ventive decontamination methods which rely on freezing and hot water. The EU support will enable the company – which believes the product could also be used for other types of meat such as pork, beef and lamb – to sell at least 56 Deconiz- er units for use in poultry abattoirs and processing plants over the next three years.
Hygiene procedures to prevent contamination are only pre- ventive (especially when removing intestines) given that no better decontamination methods have so far been available.
32 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 9, 2019
PHOTO: ANNE VAN DER WOUDE
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