A Hygiene Report Regarding Slaughter Process of Pig and Cattle Carcasses for 2017 in Serbia

Branko Velebit,Milijana Babic,Vesna Jankovic,Lazar Milojevic,Brankica Lakicevic,Aleksandra Nikolic,Radmila Mitrovic

doi:10.18485/meattech.2018.59.1.1

Branko Velebit, Milijana Babic + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2018.59.1.1

Copy DOI

Journal: Meat Technology	Publication Date: Jan 1, 2018
Citations: 3	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Institute for Hygiene and Meat Technology

Abstract

For the successful validation and verification of the HACCP system, a food business operator is obliged, among other duties, to have continuous microbiological data of carcasses which are followed by a certain dynamic that the subject himself prescribed. To obtain these data, it is necessary to perform systematic monitoring of indicator microorganisms. The most important meat hygiene indicators are Total Viable Counts (TVC) and Enterobacteriaceae (EC). TVC are defined as indicators of overall slaughter hygiene (equipment, environment, tools, workers), while EC are indicators of faecal contamination on carcasses. The aim of this study was to determine the microbial contamination of cattle and pig carcasses, level of hygiene of the slaughter process as well as whether variations hygiene levels were related to seasonality in Serbia during 2017. The year was divided into four quarters of three months each, while the microbiological results were classified into three levels of hygiene status (unsatisfactory, satisfactory or acceptable). The highest percentage of the results surveyed during the entire study was at a satisfactory hygiene level. Furthermore, we found there were differences in results between the quarters, which could be associated with seasonality. The best microbiological results, and so the best hygiene of carcasses, was recorded in the period April, May, June, while the worst microbiological results were observed in the period of July, August and September.

Highlights

Meat consumption is increasing worldwide due to rapid population growth and urbanization
In Serbia in 2017, cattle carcass contamination levels ranged from 0.0 log cfu cm−2 to 3.7 log cfu cm−2 for Total Viable Counts (TVC) and from 0.0 log cfu cm−2 to 2.4 log cfu cm−2 for EC, while pig carcass contamination levels ranged from 0.0 log cfu cm−2 to 3.88 log cfu cm−2 for TVC and 0.0 log cfu cm−2 to 2.7 log cfu cm−2 for EC
TVC values for cattle carcasses In Q1, TVC levels on cattle carcasses were within the satisfactory range in 85.5% of tested cattle carcasses, while in 14.5 % of tested carcasses, TVC levels were within the acceptable range, between 2.8−4.3 log cfu cm−2

Summary

Introduction

Meat consumption is increasing worldwide due to rapid population growth and urbanization. This has resulted in increased concerns and challenges when it comes to meat safety and hygiene. The meat safety regulations should be implemented from farm, slaughterhouse, processing, storage, distribution, retail outlets up until the products reach the consumers (Sofos and Geornaras, 2010). The process of hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) is a systematic, science-based approach process control, designed to prevent, reduce or eliminate identified hazards in food products (Kukay et al 1996). A food business operator (FBO) is obligated to achieve compliance with these regulations. FBOs must apply compulsory self-checking programs following the HACCP approach

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion