Use of quality tools to identify the causes of total broiler carcasses condemnation

The disapproval of broiler carcasses in slaughterhouses leads, directly, to losing quality and quantity of produced meat, to compromising the production line efficiency and causing processing additional costs. The carcasses can be partially or completely condemned, due to numerous causes. The identification of carcasses condemnation causes and the analyses of its factors enables to minimize losses and the improvement of the slaughter process. Thus, this research aimed to: identify the causes of total broiler carcasses condemnation, by utilization of quality tools, and elaborate an action plan that would reduce the total condemnation of broiler carcasses. The study was carried out in a slaughterhouse located in the western region of the state of Paraná. It was noted that the main cause of broiler carcasses condemnation was contamination (57.0%). The factors related with the contamination of broiler carcasses were the lack of uniformity in the weight of the broilers, the inappropriate pre slaughter fasting time, flaw in the regulation of cloaca’s extracting machine, abdomen cutter and viscera extracting machine and the poor staff training.