Meat Inspection System Research Articles

The traditional meat inspection system: Strenghts, weaknesses and intention for modernisation

The system of traditional meat inspection was developed in the mid nineteenth century to detect zoonotic diseases in animals that posed the highest risk for meat consumers. Although the nature of veterinary public health problems has significantly changed over time, this system practically remained the same until today. Consequently, concerns have been expressed that current meat inspection can no longer be considered adequate to protect the public's health. Weaknesses of the current meat inspection are well recognized in developed countries and particularly in the European Union, where significant actions have been initiated recently - in order to modernize meat inspection to be risk-based. The European Commission asked the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) to deliver scientific opinions regarding modernization of meat inspection. So far, published scientific opinions - related to pig and poultry meat inspection - stressed the need for transformation of traditional meat inspection into the wider, longitudinal and integrated system - 'meat safety assurance'. If approved by the European Commission, these opinions will be a scientific basis for adoption of new legislation in respect of meat inspection in the European Union.

Implementierung einer risikoorientierten Fleischuntersuchung ohne Anschnitte beim Mastschwein in einem nord-deutschen Schlachtunternehmen

Regulation (EC) 854/2004 opens up the opportunity to implement risk based meat inspection of fattening pigs without incision. A concept for implementation of a food safety improving meat inspection without incision was approved in practice and evaluated. It includes a serological monitoring for categorising pig herds according to the risk related to food safety concerning Mycobacterium ovum, a specific test to detect residues of antimicrobial substances and to fulfill the criteria of Regulation (EC) 1244/2007. The concept is suitable for practical implementation. In comparison to the traditional meat inspection system the new system enables control of food safety hazards on farm level. Omitting of incision of the mandibular lymph nodes showed a significant reduction in the cross contamination of Salmonella.

Scientific Opinion on the public health hazards to be covered by inspection of meat (swine)

A qualitative risk assessment identified Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spp. as the most relevant biological hazards in the context of meat inspection of swine. A comprehensive pork carcass safety assurance is the only way to ensure their effective control. This requires setting targets to be achieved in/on chilled carcasses, which also informs what has to be achieved earlier in the food chain. Improved Food Chain Information (FCI) enables risk-differentiation of pig batches (hazard-related) and abattoirs (process hygiene-related). Risk reduction measures at abattoir level are focused on prevention of microbial contamination through technology- and process hygiene-based measures (GMP/GHP- and HACCP-based), including omitting palpation/incision during post-mortem inspection in routine slaughter, as well as hazard reduction/inactivation meat treatments if necessary. At farm level, risk reduction measures are based on herd health programmes, closed breeding pyramids and GHP/GFP. Chemical substances listed in Council Directive 96/23/EC were ranked into four categories. Dioxins, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls and chloramphenicol were ranked as being of high potential concern. However, chemical substances in pork are unlikely to pose an immediate or short term health risk for consumers. Opportunities for risk-based inspection strategies by means of differentiated sampling plans taking into account FCI were identified. Regular update of sampling programmes and inclusion of inspection criteria for the identification of illicit use of substances were also recommended. Meat inspection is a key component of the overall surveillance system for pig health and welfare but information is currently under-utilised. The changes proposed to the pig meat inspection system will lead to some reduction in the detection probability of diseases and welfare conditions. The difference is likely to be minimal for diseases/conditions that affect several organs. To mitigate the reduced detection probability, palpation and/or incision should be conducted as a follow-up to visual inspection whenever abnormalities are seen

Hygiene assessment system (HAS) scores – An analysis of the available data from English slaughterhouses

As control systems have developed and the implications of poor hygienic practices have become better known, the evaluation of the hygienic status of premises has become more critical. The assessment of the overall status of premises hygiene can provide useful management data indicating whether the premises are improving or whether, whilst still meeting legal requirements, they might be failing to maintain previously high standards. Since the creation, for the United Kingdom, of the meat hygiene service (MHS), one of the aims of the service was to monitor hygiene on different premises to provide a means of comparing standards and to identify and encourage improvements. This desire led to the implementation of a scoring system known as the hygiene assessment system (HAS). This paper analyses English slaughterhouses HAS scores between 1998 and 2005 outlining the main incidents throughout this period. Although rising initially, the later results displayed a clear decrease in the general hygiene scores. These revealing results coincide with the start of a new meat inspection system where, after several years of discussion, risk based inspection is finally coming to a reality within Europe. The paper considers the implications of these changes in the way hygiene standards will be monitored in the future.

Pautas para los procedimientos de inspección en animales y carnes en un matadero

Over the last few decades there have been significant developments in livestock and meat inspection systems in slaughterhouses. The most highly developed countries have taken the lead in bringing about these changes by enacting new legislation. These new national laws have been reflected by the Codex Alimentarius in its Codes of Good Practice and this has served to harmonise world trade in foodstuffs. The author identifies the different aspects to be considered when carrying out a veterinary inspection of animals and animal products in the slaughterhouse, bearing in mind the need to protect public and animal health. Although this article only covers cattle, many of the concepts set forth can be applied to other livestock species. Information obtained from the slaughterhouse is useful to primary production; conversely, information compiled in the primary production process makes for more efficient use of slaughterhouse resources. This information makes it possible to carry out risk-based inspections, which will gradually replace traditional procedures. Conventional inspections are often very rigid and mechanical and incapable of measuring the seriousness of hazards or of determining the probability that they will occur. Emerging biological, physical and chemical hazards, as well as new technologies, mean that we cannot become complacent about inspection procedures but must continue to be alert and to keep pace with the constant changes in food safety sciences. Another new trend is the active participation of operators, who must shoulder primary responsibility in upholding the safety of the food they produce. Official veterinary inspection in the slaughterhouse plays several roles: the detection of animal diseases, the inspection of meat and meat products and the verification of audits carried out by the private sector. In recent years, the bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis and cases of dioxin poisoning have highlighted the need for traceability of foodstuffs, i.e. giving consumers the opportunity to obtain information about the origin of their food and the different stages of its production (commonly referred to as the 'farm-to-fork' chain). Finally, the slaughterhouse veterinarian, as a professional devoted to providing care to animals, is also responsible for ensuring animal welfare; this is an inherent part of his professional ethics.

A Comparison of Acute Phase Protein Measurements and Meat Inspection Findings in Cattle

The acute phase proteins haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid-A (SAA) are increased in the blood of cattle with infectious or inflammatory diseases. As it is important to identify such cattle at meat inspection, a study was undertaken to compare the levels of Hp and SAA in blood samples from cattle at abattoir with the post-mortem meat inspection findings. The serum concentrations of Hp and SAA were determined in healthy beef cattle (n = 16); healthy dairy cows with no pathological conditions (n = 22); and cows with pathologic conditions (n = 62). The last group was subdivided into cows with acute pathological conditions (n = 10) and those with non-acute pathological conditions (n = 52). The mean (+/-SD) Hp levels in plasma from beef cattle and cows without pathological conditions found were 0.11 +/- 0.08 mg/mL and 0.02 +/- 0.03 mg/mL, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). However, mean Hp level in cattle with pathological conditions was 0.27 +/- 0.40 mg/mL, significantly higher than the mean values of either group of healthy animals (p < 0.01 versus healthy dairy cows and p < 0.001 versus healthy beef cattle). The mean SAA concentration in plasma samples from 22 healthy dairy cows (with no pathological conditions found) was 51 +/- 38 microg/mL, significantly higher (p < 0.01) than the mean SAA value of 29 +/- 21 microg/mL calculated from 16 plasma samples from healthy beef cattle. In the group of 62 cows with pathological conditions, the mean SAA level was 94 +/- 115 microg/mL being significantly higher than the respective value in either groups of healthy animals (p < 0.01 versus healthy cows and p < 0.001 versus healthy beef cattle). Considerations of the acute phase proteins results obtained from the animals with pathological conditions did not reveal a clear association between acute phase proteins levels and respective specific pathological conditions, although there was a significant correlation between Hp and SAA concentrations at the individual animal level when all results were considered (R = 0.75, n = 100, p < 0.001). Nevertheless, when the dairy cows with pathological conditions were subdivided, some significant differences in mean values of acute phase proteins were observed enabling differentiation between animals with (broadly categorised) acute and non-acute pathological conditions. Significantly higher Hp (p < 0.05) and SAA (p < 0.05) concentrations were found in the acute pathology group than in the non-acute pathology group. Overall, the result of the present study indicated that the acute phase protein analysis could be an additional and useful tool enabling separation of "suspect" from "non-suspect" animals during ante mortem inspection within a modernised meat inspection system.

Quality assurance and meat inspection in Australia

The aim of meat inspection in Australia is to contribute to the production of safe and wholesome food, comply with the requirements of importing countries, and support national animal health objectives. An analysis of the role of quality assurance (QA) in the meat inspection systems at federally inspected establishments shows that the position of Australia as a leading meat exporter is aided by a co-regulatory, QA-based approach to meat inspection, which is equally applicable to all species at slaughter. Technical developments in meat inspection at the national and international level during the 1990s led to significant enhancements in QA systems. Quality assurance is implemented through nationally uniform documented systems, which are designed to achieve consistent standards of meat safety. These systems are complemented by hazard analysis critical control point-based QA programmes which meet the quality-standards of the International Organization for Standardization. Quality assurance programmes aim for a 'whole of chain' approach, so that the system is implemented 'from the paddock to the plate', or from pre-harvest through to post-harvest, i.e., from on-farm practices to the refrigeration, storage and transportation stages. The QA elements of meat inspection employed in production systems in Australia have significantly contributed to the consistent achievement of meat safety objectives that are appropriate to contemporary risks.

Prevention of human diseases by an integrated quality control system

The efficiency, cost-effectiveness and scientific validity of current ante- and post-mortem meat inspection procedures are doubtful. A new approach is proposed and discussed. Meat and poultry inspection systems need to better address the risks posed by food-borne micro-organisms, particularly pathogens causing inapparent infections in food animals. Microbial agents (particularly bacteria) represent the greatest risk to public health. Intervention should not unduly focus at the abattoir or food processing stage, but also target the risks associated with production stages before the abattoir. It is proposed that producers have to guarantee, e.g. through HACCP-like systems, that their products meet the requirements. When verification of the HACCP-procedures by the competent authority reveals that the HACCP-system is not adequate, the operator or farmer should adapt the procedures. Some examples are described. The establishment of a new European Food Authority (EFA) is expected to contribute to a higher level of consumer health protection, and will help to restore and maintain consumers’ confidence.

Indole and Skatole in Fresh Pork as Possible Markers of Fecal Contamination

Zero-tolerance levels for fecal contamination on beef, pork, and poultry have been proposed because of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses associated with pathogenic microorganisms from this source. As a result, changes in the current meat inspection system will have to include means other than visual inspection of the carcass to ensure the absence of contamination. While the principal need is for rapid, in-plant microbial testing methods, there is also a need for chemical-instrumental methods. A rapid solid-phase extraction method was developed to measure indole and skatole in porcine meat using a gas chromatograph interfaced with a chemiluminescence detector. The minimum detectable level for both compounds was 10 ppb. Results from the analysis of contaminated pork showed that this approach may have limited value in the assessment of fecal contamination in pork samples, since not all of the samples had detectable levels of either indole or skatole.

A survey of Canadian consumer perceptions of beef in relation to general perceptions regarding foods

Approximately 250 consumers were interviewed in each of three Canadian provinces Nearly all of the consumers interviewed expressed concerns about environmental issues, and a majority expressed strong concerns about such matters. A majority interviewed also felt agriculture and farming had an impact on the environment, and over one‐fourth (29–88%) believed modern beef production had an environmental impact. It was also evident that concern over environmental issues has influenced purchasing decisions and consumption patterns. A majority of the consumers interviewed also had concerns regarding the safety and wholesomeness of certain foodstuffs. However, 30·71% of the consumers interviewed considered beef to be an extremely safe and wholesome food and 38·03% indicated that this perception had influenced their purchasing habits and beef consumption. Over three fourths (75·7%) of the consumers interviewed expressed some concern regarding the Canadian meat inspection system. However, much of this concern was dispelled through provision of factual information. Although the quality of beef currently available is generally regarded as acceptable, a significant portion is regarded as unacceptable primarily as a result of toughness. Significant portions of the Canadian consumers interviewed perceived beef quality to have either improved or deteriorated during the past decade, and nearly half of these consumers indicated that these perceived changes had influenced their beef buying and consumption patterns.

A Comparative Study Into Procedures for Postmortem Inspection for Finishing Pigs

A postmortem meat inspection system based primarily on visual inspection without palpation or incision was compared with regular meat inspection procedures based on European Community (EC) regulations, which consists of visual inspection, palpation, and incision of organs. Two experiments included 31,682 finishing pigs. Three inspection procedures were followed: visual, i.e., an inspection without manipulation of the carcass; regular, i.e., based on EC regulations; and extra, i.e., based on EC regulations with more time allowed for the inspection. The reproducibility and accuracy of the visual and regular inspection methods were compared with those of the extra inspection. Twelve postmortem abnormalities and four additional findings were compared. The reproducibility of the visual inspection, measured with Cohen's kappa (CK), was poor to fair (CK from 0.14 to 0.64), and the regular inspection also had a poor to fair reproducibility (CK from 0.24 to 0.73). The specificity and sensitivity of the visual and regular inspection methods did not differ significantly for most of the abnormalities and additional findings. The sensitivity was low (range 0–76%) and the number of false-negative findings was sometimes high. It can be concluded that many abnormalities and additional findings are detected equally well by visual and regular postmortem inspection procedures. It is concluded that since both inspection procedures are far from perfect, risk assessment should be performed.

The application of risk assessment methods in making veterinary public health and animal decisions

The newly emerging discipline of quantitative risk assessment has wide application in the field of veterinary public health and animal health. Regulatory authorities are increasingly faced with public policy decisions that must assess the risks of new technology or practices relative to the potential benefits, thereby establishing a level of acceptable risk. The elements of risk are a choice of action, a probability of loss and a magnitude of loss. Perceived risk and actual risk are seldom equivalent; adoption of the methodologies used in technological and human health risk assessments will allow veterinary regulators to make better decisions. Determination of levels of acceptable risk are increasingly dependent on quantitative models, and examples are presented for evaluation of different post-mortem meat inspection systems, estimating disease risks associated with animal embryo transfer and formulating national border protection strategies. All models have some degree of subjectivity, and the decisions made by regulators and risk managers should incorporate a wide knowledge of the risk assessment process, as well as the conditions of use that will occur in the real world.

Meat inspection in New Zealand: Prospects for change

Regulatory authorities are facing increasing challenges with respect to the newly-recognised public health risks associated with meat products. Meat inspection resources should be allocated according to their maximum ability to reduce food-borne hazards, rather than according to the classical rules of meat inspection. Scientific evaluation of routine post-mortem inspection procedures for each class of livestock, introduction of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point approach to process control, on-line testing for microbiological hazards and residues, and effective management of production, processing and inspection data are central to this process. The meat inspection system that has evolved in New Zealand reflects a response to non-scientific forces such as market requirements and industrial practices rather than scientific discipline. In the future, the daily routine of meat inspectors will be extended well beyond their current slaughterfloor responsibilities, and veterinarians will require specialist skills. Science should be the basis for international food regulation and policy concepts such as equivalence or mutual acceptance are achievable on this basis.

Impact of ovine meat inspection systems on processing and production costs

The efficiency and cost-effectiveness of government-regulated meat inspection systems are under review in a number of countries. A post mortem organoleptic meat inspection programme is the most costly component of an inspection system and the procedures applied to a particular class of livestock should be appropriate to the spectrum and prevalence of diseases and defects present in each geographical region. Awareness of the impact of specific inspection requirements on processing costs, the application of integrated quality management principles and the development of programmes that disseminate information on diseases and defects and reward the producer of high-quality carcases, are all features of an efficient and cost-effective inspection system.

Current Methods of On-Line Carcass Evaluation

Most on-line systems of evaluation record carcass weight and classify carcasses post-slaughter for species, age, sex and fat cover. Conformation may be included, and more advanced systems estimate yield of salable meat or lean that then can be used as a basis for producer payment. Whereas grading/classification is mainly subjective for beef and sheep carcasses, the pig industry is the most advanced in moving to objective systems with fat cover, and in some cases muscle depth, measured objectively and used to estimate meat yield. Inexpensive, objective methods are needed for measuring the fat and meat content of beef and sheep carcasses at slaughter speed, provided that a method can be found that has an accuracy equal to or better than current subjective methods. Systems are being developed for deer and goat carcass on-line evaluation. Given that meat hygiene and inspection systems cover aspects of meat quality different from those covered in grading systems, but relate to the production of a satisfactory end-product, greater integration of these separate systems into a single on-line carcass evaluation system deserves consideration.

The Federal Meat Inspection System

The Federal Meat Inspection System