Abstract
In the event of a natural disaster or other unexpected devastation, the need arises for a means of waste treatment and removal. In the case of agricultural waste, specifically poultry, safe and effective disposal is paramount to avoid the serious side effects of disease and contamination of the surrounding environment and populations. In this trial, microwave radiation, coupled with steam heat, was used to treat organic waste (1,136 kg of culled turkey carcasses), designed to simulate a small-scale poultry mortality event. A total of 40 inoculated samples consisting of 20 Bacillus atrophaeus spore samples and 20 Salmonella enterica samples provided the criteria for testing the decontamination of poultry waste. The samples were inserted in the microwave unit with the organic waste at 5-minute intervals, post-grinding. Average transit time through the unit was 75 minutes. Subsequent bacterial colony enumeration was conducted using standard FDA-approved protocols and provided quantitative results for analysis. The system generated an approximate seven-log reduction in the microbial load of Salmonella and a five-log reduction in Bacillus spores. These results illustrate the potential effectiveness of using microwave radiation and steam heat technology for management of agriculture-based mass mortality events.