In Brazil, recent studies on beef carcasses have reported cooler shrink ranging from 0.40 to 2.16% after 24 h of chilling. Spray chilling carcasses with water have been widely used in North
America and Europe to minimize water losses without changing the
cooling rate. Although the results are heterogeneous, significant reductions in cooler shrink have been
observed without negative effects on the beef quality and bacterial
status of the carcasses. However, strict control of the sprinkler system should be maintained
to prevent carcass weight gain, which may be considered fraud
in certain countries. Countries where the use of carcass spray chilling is banned or
restricted lack alternatives to minimize the significant economic losses
from cooler shrink. An alternative method consists of wrapping the
half carcasses in plastic film during chilling. Studies conducted on beef and lamb in the 1970s showed the efficacy of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
filmwrapping in reducing the economic loss and improving appearance,
although increased surface moisture, reduced cooling rate and, in some
cases, higher bacterial counts were observed