CHAPTER XVIII 



PREPARATION OF POULTRY PRODUCTS FOR MARKET 



Dressed poultry. The number of steps in the preparation of 

 dressed poultry varies according to the kind of poultry, the choice 

 of methods, and the disposition to be made of it. The full list is 

 (i) fasting, (2) killing, (3) scalding, (4) picking, (5) cooling, 

 (6) shaping, (7) grading, (8) packing. 



Fasting. Before being killed, poultry should be fasted (starved 

 by withholding food and water) for from twenty-four to thirty-six 

 hours, that when they are killed, the crop, gizzard, and entrails 

 may be quite empty. This improves the appearance of the car- 

 cass. A dressed bird with crop bulging at one side of the breast 

 is not at all attractive looking. Fasting also improves the keep- 

 ing qualities of the carcass by removing from it offal already in a 

 state of partial decomposition. Poultry to be used at home need 

 not be starved, but unless it is to be cooked immediately after kill- 

 ing, it is better to keep the birds fasting for at least a day before- 

 hand. Packers of poultry, as well as producers who ship their own 

 product, sometimes feed and water shortly before killing, to increase 

 the weight. Apart from the dishonesty of this, it does not always 

 pay in the immediate returns, and always finally works to the dis- 

 advantage of those practicing it. In some places, offering poultry 

 for sale with food in the crop is prohibited by law. Poultry dressed 

 in this condition will shrink much more in weight during transpor- 

 tation than poultry that has been properly starved before killing, 

 and the shipper who follows this practice is constantly in difficulty 

 with his customers over short weights. The necessary shrinkage 

 in weight from fasting is very slight, and is more than compen- 

 sated for by better appearance, better condition, and (usually) by 

 the better price received. 



Killing. When dressed poultry is to be sold in the open markets 

 the method of killing is determined by the style of dressing 



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