This document discusses the processing of chicken and broilers for meat. It begins by defining poultry and identifying the four main classes raised - egg producing, broilers, turkeys, and ducks/geese. It then outlines the key steps in broiler processing from receiving the live birds to packaging the finished product. These steps include stunning, bleeding, scalding, defeathering, evisceration, cutting/deboning, and preservation methods like refrigeration, smoking, and packaging. Preservation methods help extend shelf life and ensure food safety.

1. Mrs.R.Sinthiya
Assistant Professor
Department of Food Processing and Preservation Technology
Faculty of Engineering
Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science & Higher Education
for Women University, Coimbatore

2.  The term “poultry”
applies to a rather
wide variety of birds
of several species.
The term applies to
chicken ,turkeys ,
geese , swans , fowl ,
pigeons ,and other
game birds.

3.  There are 4 classes of poultry
commonly raised
 EGG PRODUCING POULTRY
 BROILER MEAT CHICKENS
 TURKEYS
 DUCKS & GEESE

4. PROCESSING OF
CHICKEN/ BROILER

5. Recieving
↓
Stunning
↓
Bleeding
↓
Scalding
↓
Defeathering
↓
Singering
↓
Washing
↓
Neck slitting &removal of feet & oil glands
↓
Evisceration
↓
Cutting & Deboning
↓
Preservation
↓
Packaging

6.  During catching,
minimize
 bruising because
 It results in carcass
down
 grading and yield
loss.
 Ninety percent of
bruising occurs
 within 12 to 24 hours
before processing.

7.  RECEIVING:
 When birds arrive at the
plant, they need adequate
ventilation
in the holding area to
minimize
 #mortality
 #excessive live shrink
 HANGING:
 In the hanging area low
levels of light to minimize
the birds excitement once
they are placed in shackles

8. Stunning of broilers is commonly
done in the range of 12 to 150
mA
per bird of electrical current
for a duration of 2 to 11 sec.
It renders the bird unconscious
but also because it affects
@ Bleeding
@Feather release
@Overall quality meat

9.  The birds are allowed pass
through the bleeding tunnel.
Incase of ducks and turkeys
the bleeding time is allowed in
3min, while in chicken this is
limited to 1 to 1 and half minutes.
 Perfect bleeding is very
necessary
as it influences the keeping quality
of meat

10. Scalding is a technique of
immersing birds in hot water
at a specified temperature for
a particular duration that
assits in loosening of the
feathers
For broiler chicken the
suitable scalding temperature is
53 for 120 seconds.

11. Defeathering or picking are
usually carried out by means
of a feather picker
A steady steam of water
Flows while the process is in
progress which not only washes
away the feathers but also assist
in lubricating

12. Carcasses are signed over a flame while
they arepassing in the conveyor line to
remove hair like appendages called
piloplumes

13. Washing removes
 Dirt
 Cleans the soiled areas
It also assits in reducing microbial load
present on the carcass

14. This is done by using a knife.
A vertical incision is usually
made in the dorsal side of the
neck to assist the removal of
crop, esophages, and trachea
Feets of the birds are removed
by means of automatic cutter

15. Evisceration processes remove
the internal organs of poultry
Hearts, livers , and necks may
also be cleaned and packaged
in evisceration

16.  Cutting process
includes preparation
of bone-in product
and bone-out product
 Deboning process
includes removal of
legs and thighs
 Most deboning cuts
are performed using
knifes -whizzard knife.

17. Referigeration
Dehydration
Curing
Smoking
Canning
Irradiation
Microwave heating
Use of chemical additives including antibiotics are
important

18.  Refrigeration includes cold
storage
and frozen storage.
 In cold storage we employ a
temperature between 32
to 45 ˚ f
 In frozen storage a
temperature between -40
to 0˚f
 At -17.8˚c fresh chicken can
stay upto 12 months and cooked
chicken dishes between 4-6 months

19.  Smoke is generally produced due to slow
combustion of sawdust 20-30% hemicellulose
and 20-30% lignin and 40-60% cellulose
which assist in preservation of poultry meat
 Smoke assist in preserving poultry by acting
as an antioxidant
 Imparts specific flavour to meat
 Affect the colour of the finished product

20. Various types of radiation
such as beta particles ,
cathode rays , gamma rays
and x-rays have been tried
for food preservation
Irradiation is helpful in
preservation
of meat by killing and by
reducing
micro organisms and parasites
present in them

21. Packaging options:
Whole bird bulk packaging:
This involves boxing multiple
whole birds
Whole bird individual packaging:
This involves packaging the
gizzard, liver ,and heart with
the whole bird and placing it
in a bag.