Automated Spray Sanitizing of Broiler Hatching Eggs 3. Total Bacteria and Coliform Recovery after Using an Egg Spraying Machine

This study investigated the efficacy of disinfectants applied to fertile hatching eggs with an egg spraying machine. Aerobic plate counts (APC) and coliform counts of clean and dirty nest eggs were determined before and after sanitizing treatments [chlorwash (peroxygen compounds) followed by Q800 (quaternary ammonium compounds); salmide followed by salmide (oxy-chlorine compounds)]. The mean APC of clean nest eggs with chlorwash followed by Q800 declined from log 4.2 to 0.6 and with salmide followed by salmide from log 3.2 to 0.9. Coliform counts of clean eggs decreased from log 1.4 to 0 (or to below the detection level of our methodology) with Chlorwash followed by Q800 and from log 0.9 to 0 with salmide followed by salmide. Thus, sanitizing clean nest eggs significantly lowered APC and coliform counts.