Ante-mortem Inspection Research Articles

Importation of beef from countries infected with foot and mouth disease: a review of risk mitigation measures.

Risk mitigation measures to reduce the risks associated with importing beef from countries affected by foot and mouth disease (FMD) consist of controls at the farm of origin, inspection of slaughterhouses and maturation and deboning of carcasses. This assessment evaluates the effect of these measures on the mitigation of the risks presented by meat from cattle with FMD, for each of the different stages of the disease. The four disease stages considered are the incubation period, the period of clinical signs, convalescence and the carrier stage. Efficient animal health systems, disease surveillance, and ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection of all cattle effectively reduce the risk of FMD transmission from cattle slaughtered during the period of clinical signs or convalescence. These measures fail if the cattle are slaughtered during the incubation period, because of the absence of clinical signs. Cattle in this stage of the infection are likely to be viraemic, with FMD virus present in the skeletal muscles. Maturation of the carcasses of viraemic cattle reduces the risk of virus presence in the beef. In addition, deboning and removal of the principal lymph nodes and large blood vessels eliminate a source of FMD contamination of the beef. However, the slaughter of viraemic cattle creates an additional hazard of gross environmental viral contamination of the slaughterhouse facilities. Therefore, the maturation process may create a false sense of security, and the emphasis should instead be placed on disease surveillance within the infected zone and on the farms of origin, to prevent the slaughter of herds that are incubating FMD. Cattle slaughtered during the carrier stage do not pose a risk for the international beef trade.

Welfare in abattoirs

AbstractThe Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) is responsible for the enforcement of the welfare legislation governing the slaughter of a wide range of food animal species. The principal legislation is contained in the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (WASK) which give effect to the Provisions of Council Directive 93/119/EC on the Protection of Animals at Time of Slaughter or Killing, as contained in the EU Official Journal No. 340, 31/12/93. Codes of practice, prepared and issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food after consultation with all interested parties, provide guidance in respect of these welfare regulations. The legislation governing animal transit are contained in the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 (WATO) which is enforced by local authorities, although MHS officers at abattoirs monitor the unloading of livestock and carry out ante-mortem inspections. Animal welfare standards, which must never be compromised, should be continually improved and based on sound science rather than on uninformed opinion and anthropomorphism. There is a need for more high quality research on animal welfare, for clear concise user-friendly codes of practice for the industry, and for continued education of all parties involved, including consumers.

A risk-assessment model for foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus introduction through deboned beef importation

We present a risk-assessment model to assess the risk of introduction of foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus associated with deboned beef importation. The model was developed in accordance with the risk-reduction procedures proposed by the European Community for meat importation. The risk reduction procedures include farm-level inspection, ante-mortem inspection, post-mortem inspection, chilling and deboning. The risk assessment was based on the prevalence of FMD-infected cattle in herds as well as the prevalence of infected herds in the exporting country. Computer simulations were carried out to evaluate the probability of FMD virus introduction by importing 100 tons of deboned beef in relation to FMD prevalence, number of cattle selected from each herd, and sample sizes in ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections. The effects of the risk-reduction procedures on the probability of FMD virus introduction were examined.

The potential risks to animal health from imported sheep and goat meat.

Alerted by outbreaks of foot and mouth disease and the swine fevers which have been attributed to international trade in meat, regulators have tended to adopt conservative policies with respect to the importation of meat. However, for disease introduction to occur as a result of meat importation, a number of criteria must be satisfied. A qualitative assessment of the risks posed by sheep and goat meat leads to the conclusion that, with the possible exception of foot and mouth disease there is little likelihood that Office International des Epizooties List A or List B diseases would be spread through trade in adequately matured meat obtained from animals which have passed veterinary ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections.

Scanning electron microscopic observations of the pathomorphology of the distal airways and alveolar region in the goat

Four goats with respiratory disorders were examined in the present study, two were diagnosed during routine ante-mortem inspection, one at post-mortem (PM) and the other was referred in the department. Samples were taken from the lung parenchyma to include bronchioles (small and terminal), respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveolar membrane. Samples were routinely prepared for light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Changes revealed by SEM included: poor ciliation of the bronchioles, luminal surfaces of the alveoli being covered by secretions in the form of amorphous sheets, engorged blood capillaries, accumulation of flocculent materials in the lumina of bronchioles and respiratory bronchioles and the increase in the number of Type II pneumocytes, in addition to the collapse of apical protuberances of the nonciliated bronchiolar epithelial cells. A thorough discussion of these changes is provided. It is concluded that SEM can reveal changes that could not be determined by other conventional methods although it can not replace them.

The Occurrence of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases in Poultry Slaughtered in the District of Olsztyn, Poland, 1986-91

During 6 years, 1986-91, in poultry processing plants in the district of Olsztyn, Poland, 37,779,959 carcasses and internal organs of slaughtered fattened poultry were (1,691,188 hens, 23,681,855 chickens, and 12,226,016 turkeys) were examined. As a result of the antemortem and postmortem inspections, 744,499 birds were condemned for human consumption, which was 1.66% of the total number of birds examined. The highest percentage of condemned birds was registered in hens (2.4%) and the lowest in chickens (1.27%). By means of a medical examination, the following diseases were diagnosed most frequently in chickens: Marek's disease in 2,265 birds (0.095%), salmonellosis in 13,463 birds (0.056%), coccidiosis in 9,548 birds (0.04%), and chronic illness of the respiratory system in 377 birds (0.0016%). In hens, salmonellosis was found in 15,951 birds (0.94%), tuberculosis in 301 birds (0.018%), leukemia in 122 birds (0.007%), and aspergillosis in 71 birds (0.0042%). In turkeys, chronic illness of the respiratory system was found in 23,938 birds (0.196%), aspergillosis in 13,243 birds (0.11%), salmonellosis in 3,918 birds (0.032%), and leukemia in 29 birds (0.00024%).

Bacteriologic culture and histologic examination of samples collected from recumbent cattle at slaughter

Objective— To evaluate the potential food safety risks constituted by recumbent cattle that are slaughtered for edible beef. Design— Prospective case series. Animals— Thirty cattle in recumbency that passed a routine antemortem inspection at a US federally inspected abattoir. Procedure— Aerobic, bacteriologic culture of blood samples taken immediately prior to slaughter and of spleens taken during viscera inspection. Gross lesions were recorded, and samples of liver, lung, kidney, and heart were collected from each animal for routine light microscopic examination. Results— Bacteremia caused by Salmonella dublin was documented in 1 cow that had arthritis. Two other cows were condemned after postmortem inspection: 1 because of pneumonia and pleuritis and the other because of vegetative endocarditis. Three carcasses were retained and later condemned because of antibiotic residues in tissues; 1 of these cows had mastitis, 1 had liver abscesses, and 1 was the cow with vegetative endocarditis. Sarcocystosis was found in 27 of 30 hearts, but other clinically important histologic lesions were observed only in liver samples. In 11 of the 30 cows, multifocal, microscopic foci of hepatitis were observed, suggesting that terminal embolic bacterial showering of the liver had occurred in these animals. Liver samples were not submitted for bacteriologic culture. Clinical Implications— Most recumbent cows slaughtered for edible beef are not contaminated by bacteria; however, the viscera from these animals may present a food safety danger. Efforts should be made to develop rapid tests to identify bacteremic animals at slaughter and to more fully evaluate terminal showering of viscera by bacteria in cattle at slaughter.

Application of acute phase reactants during antemortem and postmortem meat inspection

Application of acute phase reactants during antemortem and postmortem meat inspection

New food safety initiatives in the Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The production of meat and poultry products has become increasingly complex. Technological growth has contributed to the need for sophistication in determining the origin and risk of food-borne microbial infections as well as environmental contaminants. The increasing use of agricultural chemicals in animal production and to some extent in processed foods has led to the presence of chemical residues in meat and poultry. These changes have caused the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), a public health agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to institute new food safety initiatives and procedures for inspection of meat and poultry products. The goal is to reduce risks to the public health from conditions observed during antemortem and postmortem inspection or detected during processing. FSIS is committed to scientific innovation and has implemented several rapid inplant tests that have given the Agency inexpensive, less disruptive methods to determine product adulteration contamination.

Poultry processing and inspection.

Poultry Sanitary Processing and Inspection Guidance was issued on January 11, 1978 by the Director General of Environmental Health Bureau, Ministry of Health and Welfare to reinforce the Food Sanitation Law.In the past ten years Japanese poultry industry underwent the considerable change which now seems to necessitate the official poultry inspection system.The Poultry Inspection System Investigation Committee sent its final report to the Director General of Environmental Health Bureau, Ministry of Health and Welfare on May 8, 1987.The final report included hygiene requirements in relation to premises, equipments and utensils, hygienic operating requirements, personnel hygiene, ante-mortem health inspection, post-mortem health inspection, and qualifications for supervisory inspectors, poultry inspectors and poultry meat hygiene supervisors.Based upon the final report, Ministry of Health and Welfare is preparing for the implementation of the official poultry inspection in a few years.In this paper the following subjects were covered.I. The present situation of poultry processing in JapanII. Recent developments in poultry processing techniques and equipmentsIII. Recommended international code of hygienic practice for poultry processingIV. Poultry inspection laws and regulations of foreign countriesV. Poultry sanitary processing and inspection guidance, 1978VI. The final report on the poultry inspection system in Japan, 1987VII. Poultry inspection at present and in future.

The future role of the veterinarian in the control of zoonoses.

Developments in the rearing and the health status of meat animals is presented. Attention is drawn to the increase in latent infections, most of which are zoonotic diseases. Such infections escape official ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection as it is presently conducted in industrialised countries, which still rely on the classical rules established by Robert von Ostertag. This examination is thus in need of reform. Proposals submitted to the EEC Commission consist of a stepwise inclusion of the major herds of meat animals in systematic health control aimed at effective control of zoonoses and thus improved consumer protection. It is thus expected that the importance of meat inspection on the basis of pathological-anatomical changes will decrease the importance of establishing the health status during the animal's lifetime will increase. Nevertheless, there will be no complete substitution of classical meat inspection because there are numerous changes in the meat specific to the individual animal which can be detected only by meat inspection, and must be detected if the concept of consumer protection is properly applied. The reform of meat inspection which has become necessary will entail a variety of new tasks for research.

Current Aspects of Bovine Leukemia

Bovine leukemia (leukosis, lymphosarcoma) is a disease which has caused serious economic consequences in Europe. Apparently there are not as many herds in the United States that show as high a percentage of tumors as are found in European cattle. It is difficult to evaluate the actual incidence of the clinical disease in cattle in the United States. In 1974, 4,669 cattle carcasses were condemned because of lymphosarcoma (14). In general, we can assume that these cattle did not demonstrate clinical signs of lymphosarcoma before slaughter, but were condemned due to the presence of internal tumors since only five cattle were condemned on ante-mortem inspection. It is difficult to determine the number of cattle observed to have tumors and not sent to slaughter, but rather "condemned" by the veterinarian and sent for tankage from the farm.

The Efficacy of Ante-Mortem Inspection in Supplementing the Post-Mortem Inspection of Poultry

logical lesions produced by semicarbazide and acetone semicarbazone. Arch. Pathol. 67, 427-431, 1959. 14. Ponseti, I. V., and W. A. Baird. Scoliosis and dissecting aneurysms of the aorta in rats fed with Lathyrus odoratus seeds. Am. J. Pathol. 28, 1059-1065, 1952. 15. Ponseti, I. V. Prevention of aminonitrile lesions in rats with Ltriiodothyreonine. Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 96, 14-17, 1957. 16. Pyorala, K., T. Seppala, and S. Punsar. Effect of corticoids, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, thyroxine, and thyrotrophic hormone on aortic lesions in experimental lathyrism. Acta. Pathol. Microbiol. Scand. 45, 37-47, 1959. 17. Selye, H. Lathyrism. Revue Can. Biol. 16, 1-82, 1957. 18. Schilling, E. D., and F. M. Strong. Isolation, structure, and synthesis of a Lathyrus factor from L. odoratus. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 76, 2848 only, 1954. 19. Simpson, C. F., W. R. Pritchard, R. H. Harms, and J. H. Sautter. Skeletal and cardio-vascular lesions in turkeys induced by feeding beta-aminopropionitrile. Exptl. Med. Path. 1, 305-320, 1962. 20. Walker, D. G., and Z. T. Wirtschafter. Histopathogenesis of aortic aneurysms in the Lathyrus-fed rat. Arch. Pathol. 61, 125-135, 1956.

Meat Hygiene

Sixteen meat-hygiene authorities contributed comprehensive reviews of as many subjects which combined together, form an excellent advanced text-book on current practices in many parts of the world. It covers the subject from live-animal transportation problems to retail-market display practices. Particular topics include ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection principles, abattoir construction guides, laboratory techniques, processing of meat and waste products, epidemiology of meat-borne diseases, training of meat inspectors and other administrative fundamentals. Numerous problems and suggestions concerning operations in the tropical areas of the world are provided, although not as extensively covered as those of Europe and the United States. However, since principles are stressed more than techniques of a localized nature, applicability of the material is not necessarily restricted to any particular area.The monograph includes the important conclusions and recommendations of the WHO/FAO Seminar on Meat Hygiene held in Copenhagen in February 1954. Many of the papers read at the meeting have been brought up to date, and these form the basis of this volume.

Textbook of Meat Hygiene: With Special Consideration of Antemortem and Postmortem Inspection of Food-Producing Animals (7th ed.)

Textbook of Meat Hygiene: With Special Consideration of Antemortem and Postmortem Inspection of Food-Producing Animals (7th ed.)

Text-Book of Meat Hygiene—With Special Consideration of Antemortem and Postmortem Inspection of Food-Producing Animals (6th Rev. Ed.)

Text-Book of Meat Hygiene—With Special Consideration of Antemortem and Postmortem Inspection of Food-Producing Animals (6th Rev. Ed.) Mazÿck P. Ravenel CopyRight https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.24.11.1180-a Published Online: August 29, 2011

Text-Book of Meat Hygiene with Special Consideration of Antemortem and Postmortem Inspection of Food-Producing Animals.

Text-Book of Meat Hygiene with Special Consideration of Antemortem and Postmortem Inspection of Food-Producing Animals.

Book Review Text-Book of Meat Hygiene, with Special Consideration of Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Inspection of Food-Producing Animals . By Richard Edelmann, Ph.D., Royal State Veterinarian of Saxony. Authorized translation revised for America by John R. Mohler, A.M., V.M.D., and Adolph Eichorn, D.V.S., of the Pathological Division of the United States Bureau of Animal Industry. Philadelphia and New York: Lea &

Book Review Text-Book of Meat Hygiene, with Special Consideration of Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Inspection of Food-Producing Animals . By Richard Edelmann, Ph.D., Royal State Veterinarian of Saxony. Authorized translation revised for America by John R. Mohler, A.M., V.M.D., and Adolph Eichorn, D.V.S., of the Pathological Division of the United States Bureau of Animal Industry. Philadelphia and New York: Lea &

A Text-Book of Meat Hygiene. With Special Consideration of Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Inspection of Food-Producing Animals

A Text-Book of Meat Hygiene. With Special Consideration of Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Inspection of Food-Producing Animals M. J. Rosenau CopyRight https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2.3.211 Published Online: August 30, 2011