## 4 Discussion
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline  & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**1 st Day Shelf Life**} & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Half Shelf Life**} & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**End of Shelf Life**} \\ \hline
**Sample** & **Ov** & **Ent** & **Col** & **Od** & **Ov** & **Ent** & **Col** & **Od** & **Ov** & **Ent** & **Col** & **Od** & **T** \\ \hline Breast 4 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Breast 5 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Breast 6 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Breast 7 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Breast 8 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Breast 9 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Breast 10 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ \hline Thigh 1 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Thigh 2 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Thigh 3 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Thigh 4 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Thigh 5 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Thigh 6 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Thigh 7 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Thigh 8 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Thigh 9 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ Thigh 10 & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N & N \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}  
* Ov: General overview—N: Normal. Ent: Meat entirely—N: Normal. Col: Colour—N: Normal. Od: Odour—N: Normal. T: Taste—N: Normal.  
\end{table} 
Table 2: _Cont._for alkalinization. On the other hand, no results have been reported with the application of acidification under industrial conditions. In this context, and taking into account the obtained results, the acidification of scalding tank water seems to be a potential option. In our work, and considering that the results do not possess repeatability because of the experimental design (carried out under industrial conditions) and the different microbial loads of origin, Table 1 shows that the decrease in pH was paralleled by a decrease in the detection of _Salmonella_ throughout the scaling process, also affecting the hygiene indicators (MAB and _E. coli_) (Figures 3 and 4). The accepted pH limit for _Salmonella_ (pH = 4.5) [31] is consistent with our results, as only in one case was _Salmonella_ detected below this value (4.46, after 14 h (see Table 1)). This is consistent with the opinion of [PERSON] and [PERSON] [16], in which alkaline (9.0) or acidic (3-4) pH levels reduce _Salmonella_'s heat resistance, while organic matter and associated uric acid derived from poultry feces in the tank reduce pH values, maintain them near neutrality, and favor the growth of _Salmonella_. The pH at which _Salmonella_ is detected is different in each case and depends on the initial pH. This initial pH seems to be more influential in preventing the occurrence of _Salmonella_, and the lower the initial pH, the longer the time before the occurrence of _Salmonella_. According to [PERSON] and [PERSON] [11], the amounts of dry matter and microorganisms in scaling water increase over time. Furthermore, the adding of a high number of poultry carcasses into scaling tanks will result in the contamination of the water within a short period of time [32]. Once the accumulation of organic matter and microbial contamination is sufficiently high, this build-up can lead to an increased occurrence of _Salmonella_, lessening the effect of pH. In addition, _Salmonella_ sometimes uses mechanisms to survive unfavorable pH conditions, and can reach pH homeostasis [33] or the ATR (acid tolerance response), which protects _Salmonella_ spp. at low pH levels (pH 3 to 4). This mechanism is activated when environmental pH values are between 6.0 and 5.5 and when pH homeostasis fails [34]. Due to these different characteristics, the effective control of _Salmonella_ has become a complex process [35].