Bacteriological study of the liver of cattle for dicroceliosis

Abstract

The article presents the results of organoleptic and microbiological studies of the chilled liver of cattle affected by the helminth Dicrocoelium lanceatum. The main goal was to determine how temperature regimes affect the quality and safety of the liver of cattle affected by dicrocelia and its contamination with microflora. An organoleptic examination of all animal slaughter products was carried out. According to organoleptic indicators, meat products did not differ from healthy ones, and only liver damage was noted. The liver is filled with blood, and the edges are dulled, the gallbladder is enlarged and filled with dark green bile, mucus and helminths. It was established that the liver is contaminated with microorganisms of the Enterobacteriaceae family, which were found on the 8th day of storage. Storage of the liver at a temperature of 0 °C for a day in samples No. 1, 4, 5 revealed bacteria of the Escherichia coli group, which increased by 27.7 % in the first sample; in the fourth for 10 days – by 16.1 %; 15 days in the 5th sample – by 10.8 % compared to the control, and also in the fifth sample Proteus vulgaris was isolated, which was 17.4 % and Staphylococcus aureus – 13.5 %. In the third tested sample, on the 8th day, bacteria of the Staphylococcus aureus species were found, which was 41.6 %. With a weak intensity of liver damage and contamination with the microflora of 31 CFU/cm3, slaughter products, namely the affected parts of the liver, are sent for disposal, and the non-affected parts of the liver and carcass are subjected to heat treatment and released for sale without restrictions. Following the current normative documents DSTU 4831:2006, DSTU 7444:2013, and DSTU ISO 6888-1:2003, with a high intensity of infestation, as well as in slaughter products, including liver, for the detection of more than 30 CFU/cm3, such a slaughter product is considered not fresh and subject to disposal. During the storage of beef liver for 15 days at a temperature of 0 °C, certain changes were detected, namely: the parenchyma of the organ is gray, has an unpleasant smell, the surface is covered with mucus, the consistency is flabby, the pit does not align when pressed with a finger.