The evaluation of changes on the microbial flora of meat by the addition of Virkon S in drinking water of Poultry

Subject Areas : Food Microbial Contamination

Majid Gholami Ahangaran ¹ , Oveys Pourmahdi ² , Akram Ghahremani-Chermahini ³ , Asiye Ahmadi ⁴

1 - Department of Poultry Diseases, Veterinary Medicine Faculty, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
2 - Undergraduate of Veterinary Medicine Faculty, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran
3 - Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
4 - Department of Food Science and Technology, Ardestan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardestan, Iran

Received: 2019-12-03 Accepted : 2020-03-02 Published : 2020-12-21

Keywords: broiler chicks, Escherichia coli, Virkon S,

Abstract :

This study was aimed to study the effects of virkon S on microbial load indices of poultry meat and internal organs. 180 broiler chicks were divided into three equal groups. The first and second groups received 250 g and 500 g of virkon S per 1000 liters of water for 10 consecutive days, from 31 days to 41 days, respectively, and the third group received no combination in the water. To evaluate the effect of virkon S on the population of Escherichia coli flora on meat, heart, and liver, poultry were sampled from these organs at the end of 42 days and their microbial status was evaluated by culture and enumeration of E. coli. The results showed that virkon S at concentrations of 250 and 500 g per 1000 liters of drinking water for 10 days could reduce E. coli population and microbial load of meat, heart, and liver of poultry, significantly. Therefore, according to the findings of this study, the use of virkon S in broiler chickens' drinking water can improve the hygienic quality of poultry meat.