Injector Needles (Latin America)

Area of Interest

Lifetime of injection systems in a poultry processing plant.

Problem

A major poultry processing plant sought to validate the benefits of using PerQuat® technology to increase the life of injection systems.

Context

The root of the problem was related to a suspected buildup of contaminating organisms and biofilms in the brine tank and injector needles. The existing sanitation program was not effective.

Results

Microbiological Analysis Results
From day three to day twelve, significant daily reductions in aerobic plate count (APC) and total coliform bacteria counts were observed. In general, microbiological limits were reached 4 to 5 days after treatment with PerQuat, compared to the control sample, thus increasing the shelf life of the systems.

Organoleptic Results
The organoleptic differences between the two sets of samples were even more important. The pre-treatment samples began to emit a foul odor on day 7, while those taken after treatment maintained a fresh odor until day 12. The color of the control samples remained normal until day 8, when the flesh began to turn brown. Gray spots were also observed until day 13, when the analysis was discontinued. The treated samples showed no discoloration. They maintained a normal color from day 3 to 13. The surface characteristics of the control samples remained normal only until day 7, when a slippery coating was observed on all parts. The tactile sensation of the treated samples remained normal until day 12.