Fatty Liver and Plantar Pododermatitis in Commercial Chicken at the Pollo Olympico S. A. Poultry Processing Plant

Abstract

The purpose was to identify the presence of fatty liver and plantar pododermatitis in commercial chicken in the Pollo Olympico S. A. Company by performing microbiological tests and a nutrition profile of the organs and the food, in order to determine whether or not they are suitable for consumption. Completely random samples were taken from 873,866 birds among the ten farms owned by Pollo Olympico. Tests were performed at the quality control laboratory at La Salle University for microbiological analysis by agar culture on surface and by proximal analysis so as to obtain the results of the physicochemical analysis. Salmonella spp., total coliform, Escherichia coli, fungi and Staphylococcus were analyzed in livers, and the fat and protein percentages were determined at the animal nutrition laboratory; regarding lower limbs, a series of analysis were carried out for fungi and Staphylococcus spp., as well as fat and protein percentages, and fungi, yeast and physicochemicals were analyzed for food. The results were compared with pre-established boundaries that define the acceptance or rejection of the product. The results show that the samples follow the human consumption parameters. It is necessary to carry out studies to demonstrate the integrity and functionality of the tissue from the plantar members and the liver, which, due to its appearance, is called fatty liver, in order to determine how those organs are affected so as to avoid loss of costs in the confiscated product