In the poultry industry, the use of water with adequate physical, chemical and microbiological quality it is of fundamental importance. Since many birds have access to the same water source, quality problems will affect a great number of animals. The drinking water plays an important role in the transmission of some bacterial, viral and protozoan diseases that are among the most common poultry diseases. Important factors to prevent waterborne diseases in broiler production are the protection of supply sources, water disinfection and the quality control of microbiological, chemical and physical characteristics. Water is an essential nutrient for birds and therefore quality preservation is fundamental for good herd performance. The farmer may prevent many diseases in bird flocks by controlling the quality of the ingested water, will certainly result in decreased costs and increased profit, two essential aims of animal production nowadays

SUMMARYHealth risks in the effluents of seven swine abattoirs and of seven poultry abattoirs were evaluated with regard to environment degradation and to dissemination of pathogenic microorganisms during the rainy and dry seasons. Supply-water samples from affluents and effluents of the treatment systems at different sites within the abattoir processing system were analysed. Similarly, water samples from the three recipient sites (emission point, 100 m upstream, 100 m downstream) were also analysed. Temperature, free residual chlorine (FRC), total coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, enterococci, identification and serotyping of salmonellae were assessed. Scalding is the most significant stage in the slaughtering chain (P<0 . 05) when temperature is taken into account. Temperatures at effluents and at the sampled sites in the water bodies accorded to state and federal legislation standards. Supply waters did not meet the standards for FRC and microbial count standards according to the Ministry of Health and within limits imposed by the Industrial and Sanitary Inspection Regulations for Animal Products. Feather plucking and evisceration in poultry slaughter and the cleansing of carcasses and facilities in poultry and swine slaughtering had the highest contamination impact. The three loci at the water bodies were above the microbiological standards for classes II and III sites, in conformity with Law 8468 of the state of Sa˜o Paulo, Brazil and Conama. Salmonella was found at several sites during slaughter, at both types of abattoirs, including in the effluent treatment system. This showed that these sites were the dissemination sources of the microorganism.

RESUMOPesquisaram-se a presença de Bacillus cereus e a produção de enterotoxinas produzidas por esses microrganismos em 120 amostras de diversos tipos de leite. Bacillus cereus foi isolado e identificado em 22 (73,3%), 15 (50,0%), 29 (96,7%) e quatro (13,3%) amostras de leite em pó, cru, pasteurizado e UAT (longa vida), respectivamente. Para a detecção de enterotoxinas pela técnica da alça ligada de coelho, foram positivos, respectivamente, três (13,6%), um (7,1%) e 10 (35,7%) microrganismos isolados das amostras de leite em pó, leite cru e leite pasteurizado. Pelo teste de aumento de permeabilidade vascular, dois (9,1%), um (7,1%), um (3,6%) e um (4,0%) microrganismos isolados de leite em pó, cru, pasteurizado e UAT apresentaram-se enterotoxigênicos, respectivamente. O uso da técnica de aglutinação passiva em látex demonstrou a produção da toxina diarréica por três (33,3%), sete (63,6%), quatro (30,8%) e oito (80,0%) microrganismos isolados, respectivamente, de leite em pó, cru, pasteurizado e UAT. Os resultados indicam um risco potencial, podendo colocar em risco a saúde dos consumidores desses produtos. Palavras-chave: leite, Bacillus cereus, enterotoxinas ABSTRACT A hundred and twenty samples of different types of milk were examined to the presence of

The objective of this experiment was to test the effects of the addition of chlorine to broiler drinking water during a 12-h preslaughter feed withdrawal period on reduction of the quantities of microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli and enterococci, in broiler crops and ceca. Reduction of these microorganisms would likely also reduce contamination of broiler meat by pathogenic bacteria during processing. It was also investigated if the chlorine caused some intestinal damage that could disseminate the microorganisms to the carcass. A total of 40 Cobb male broilers were used. Samples of crop and cecal content were collected for microbiological analysis, and duodenum and jejunum were used for morphological analysis from 10 birds in each treatment. The most probable number (MPN) of E. coli and enterococci in the collected samples of crop and ceca and the measure of the free residual chlorine in water were determined. The scanning electron microscopy from duodenum and jejunum was used to illustrate the mucosa integrity. The chlorine added to water was efficient in reducing the quantities of microorganisms in broiler crops and improved the integrity of the mucosa. Therefore, preslaughter feed withdrawal should be coupled with crop disinfection, because preslaughter feed withdrawal increases the MPN of enterococci and E. coli in broiler crops. So, it presents a higher risk for carcass contamination during slaughterhouse processing and, consequently, a higher risk for public health.