The aim of the reasearch was to evaluate gains and losses to producers and consumers of poultry which result from the application of diverse methods of chilling poultry carcasses. The research was carried out on 120 carcasses of slaughter chickens chilled by three different systems, i.e. air chilling, immersion chilling and evaporative chilling, 40 carcasses from each system. Weight losses or gains of the carcasses before and after chilling were initially established by the so-called plant method. The weight was measured directly after gutting and the removal of giblets and fat, but before the first washing. Each carcass was weighed to an accuracy of one gram. Then the carcasses were hanged again on the slaughter line, where they underwent the processes of washing, chilling and draining. Following the above, the carcasses were weighed for the second time. The following parameters were calculated: the average weight gain or loss of the carcass after chilling (g/carcass); the average weight gain or loss of the carcass after chilling (g/kg); the relative weight gain or loss of the carcass after chilling (%). Next, the chilling systems under examination were evaluated in terms of economic gains or losses to the poultry plant and the poultry consumer. Economic analysis involved the following indicators: the gain or loss to the plant during processing (PLN/carcass); the yearly gain or loss to the plant during chilling (PLN); the gain or loss to the plant during chilling (PLN/kg of sales); the gain or loss to the consumer resulting from chilling (PLN/kg purchased); the yearly gain or loss to the consumer; the yearly gain or loss to the social budget resulting from the choice of a specific chilling method and the yearly slaughter of chickens It was found that the carcass weight after chilling varied significantly depending on the chilling method applied. The air chilling system reduced the carcass weight on average by 2.31%. The other two chilling methods caused an increase in the carcass weight, which was greater in the immersion system: on average by 3.45%. Also the evaporative system caused the carcass weigh to grow but to a lesser extent than the immersion one: on average by 2.63%.The immersion chilling proves the most profitable to the producer. This method produces the greatest gains in the carcass weigh, consisting mainly in increased free water content in meat. The plant gains 0.20 PLN per 1 kg of meat, but the yearly gain amounts to as much as 3,449,605 PLN. The evaporative system is also profitable to the producer but the economic gain is somewhat smaller than in the immersion system. From the producer’s point of view the least desirable is chilling by air since, in comparison with the other two systems, the producer loses 2,950,899 PLN a year. By contrast, air chilling is the most favourable to the consumer. He gains 0.17 PLN per 1 kg of chicken meat purchased. Considering the yearly consumption of chicken meat, an individual consumer gains 4.50 PLN but the yearly gain from this method of chilling to entire society amounts to 203,910,000 PLN. The application of the other two chilling methods results in considerable losses to the social budget, which are especially high in the case of the immersion method.
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