Safety of Food and Beverages: Meat and Meat Products

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Meat and meat products are potential vehicles of hazards to human health. Types of hazards that may be present in meat products include chemicals (causing acute or long-term toxicity) and biological agents (pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites, and abnormal prions causing transmissible spongiform encephalopathies), as well as physical objects (may cause injury). Biological hazards are of most concern. Their occurrence in meat and meat products is unavoidable because contaminants are present in and on the animals and in their environment. Raw meat and not fully heated (canned) or fermented/dried meat products are highly perishable, which makes them prone to quick spoilage and of compromised safety due to microbial presence and growth. The quality and safety of meat and meat products are best maintained by an integrated preventive approach throughout all segments of the meat sector, including producers, processors, distributors, retailers, food service, as well as consumers. Pathogen control efforts should include: good production practices on the farm, slaughtering of animals that are disease free, processing of carcasses under sanitary and hygienic conditions, use of decontamination intervention strategies to reduce microbial levels on carcasses and fresh meat, thermal processing, drying, fermentation, acidification, use of antimicrobials, maintenance of the cold chain during distribution, and proper storage and preparation by food service and consumers.