Update on Superglue for Plugging the Vents of Poultry at Slaughter

PoultryPress Vol 5, No 3, Summer/Fall 1995 reported on a proposed product called "Rectite." Pacer Technology seeks government approval of this product for use in slaughter plants to glue shut the rectal cavities of turkeys and chickens to prevent the birds from reflexively excreting fecal material at the time of death (Food Chemical News April 24, 1995, p. 12). UPC's Freedom of Information Act request to the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service yielded the following information dated Feb. 8, 1996, concerning "an adhesive variant of super glue or cyanoacrylate adhesive (CA) to seal the vents of poultry during the slaughter process to prevent salmonella contamination."

"Two different viscosities of CA [cyanoacrylate adhesive] were tried in two locations in November 1989. One location was prior to hock-cutter after the feathers were removed from the carcass. The second location was during the killing operation to see if the vents could be sealed to prevent fecal contents from escaping from the intestinal tract of turkeys during the scalding and picking operations. Red dye was put into the CA to track the effect the different processing operations had on the adhesive properties of the glue to the vent area.

"The glue seems to adhere to the mucous membranes around the vent area and seals the vent through the scalder. However, the pickers appear to pull the adhered mucous membranes away from the rest of the vent thereby destroying the vent seal. There are several ideas on ways to solve this, such as, changing the formulation of the glue and/or providing an artificial substratum of natural fibers, such as cotton, so the glue could form a stronger bond."

Use of super glue at slaughter requires approval by the Food & Drug Administration. The FDA told UPC they searched their files and found "no responsive information." UPC will track this technology and provide updates in future issues.

What Can I Do?

• To protest, you can contact Pacer Technology at 1-800-538-3091. Or contact: Pacer Technology, 9420 Santa Anita Ave. Rancho Cucamonga CA 91730-6117 (ph: 909-987-0550; fax: 0490).
  
  
• Tell USDA how you feel about this proposed use of superglue: Food Safety & Inspection Service, US Dept. of Agriculture, 14th & Independence Ave. SW, Room 3835 South Bldg. Washington DC 20250.