Continuous improvement of a system quality management: accelerating thawing process of poultry meat by using a microwave oven

The present work aims to validate the application of accelerating thawing process (microwave oven 20 kW/60 seconds) for poultry meat chicken. Hence, several criteria, such as microbiological, organoleptic, nutritional, thawing time and cost, were evaluated by accelerated and slow processes (48 h during 4°C, reference method). After 5 weeks, and according to the microbiological criteria the results of counting organisms (Total mesophilic flora, (TMF); Fecal coliforms, Sulphite reducing anaerobic (SRA); Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp.) under the two processes are satisfying and meet the standards. However, we noted that the obtained TMF’s averages by the accelerate process are lower than those obtained by the slow process from the upper boxes (1.02 10² 5.82 10² CFU/g) or from the boxes of the bottom (0.84 10² 3.24 10² CFU/g). Yet, by the rapid process organoleptic and nutritional qualities of meat are better preserved. Moreover, the rapid process reduces the thawing time (saving time 33h).The organoleptic study indicates that the quality of the poultry meat chicken should be treated in details. Therefore, this new technology needs further investigations to be validated.