Summary
Abstract
This study investigated the effectiveness of spraying electrolysed water for reducing the numbers of Campylobacter on chicken carcasses. Previous studies have used solutions with free chlorine concentrations above 25 ppm and low pH to treat inoculated carcasses. The four trials described here were carried out at process plants treating naturally contaminated, hot, birds with electrolysed sodium chloride or sodium carbonate solutions, plain water, or no water. The birds were chilled after treatment. Free chlorine concentrations were all below 20 ppm, pH was 7 units or more, and redox potentials were below 830 mV. None of the treatments produced more than a 0.3-log reduction in Campylobacter numbers compared to counts on untreated carcasses. This study concludes that, at the low chlorine concentrations allowed in the EU, spraying with electrolysed water is not an effective method of reducing the number or prevalence of Campylobacter on chicken carcasses.
Study details
- Published in: Food Control 50 (2015): 472-476
- Microbes studied: Campylobacter
Source
Source: Food Control 50 (2015): 472-476
Conditions tested
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Organisms | Campylobacter |
| Relevant sectors | Food Processing, Poultry & Eggs |
| Publication | Food Control, 2015 |
Reading this responsibly
Published figures are obtained under controlled conditions, usually on clean surfaces or in defined matrices. Organic load, surface condition, temperature and application coverage all affect real-world performance. Use these numbers to design a protocol, then validate it on your own site with environmental swabbing.
Applying it
Concentrations in this range are within the adjustable output of every EcoloxTech commercial system, so implementing this protocol is a settings question rather than a procurement one. Where the claim needs to sit on a registered label, see HOCl-AS200, EPA Reg. No. 101112-1.