Slaughter Process Research Articles

Removal of final wash in chicken slaughter process does not affect microbiological quality of carcasses

Water is used in several stages of the technological process of chicken slaughter. Since it is a finite natural resource, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of reducing the water flow in the final wash on the superficial microbial contamination of chicken carcasses in a slaughterhouse. The experimental design was completely randomized (3 × 10 × 3), and comprised the evaluation of three treatments, i.e., absence of water (T1), flow of 1 L per carcass (T2), and flow of 1.5 L per carcass (T3), with 10 repetitions performed in triplicates. A total of 240 samples were obtained at three points in the slaughter line: before (A, n = 90) and after (B, n = 60) the final washing of the carcasses and after cooling (C, n = 90). Analyses of counts of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms, enterobacteria, total coliforms, and Escherichia coli were performed. The final wash reduced the microbiological contamination of the carcasses but suffered direct interference from the pre-cooling system (P > 0.05), which canceled the reduction. Hence, the final wash step may be removed without affecting the microbiological quality of the carcasses, making it possible to reduce water consumption and effluent generation.

Evaluation of microbial contamination of different pork carcass areas through culture-dependent and independent methods in small-scale slaughterhouses

Routine evaluation of the slaughter process is performed by the enumeration of the aerobic colony count, Enterobacteriaceae and Salmonella spp. on the carcass through destructive or non-destructive methods. With non-destructive methods, bacteria are counted from a minimum area of 100 cm2 in different sampling sites on the pork carcasses, and the results of these investigated areas are pooled to one value for the complete carcass evaluation (a total of 400 cm2). However, the composition of the bacterial community present on the different sampling areas remains unknown. The aim of the study was to characterize the microbial population present on four areas (ham, back, jowl and belly) of eight pork carcasses belonging to two different slaughterhouses through culture-dependent (Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry MALDI-TOF MS, combined with 16S rRNA gene sequencing) and complementary culture-independent (16S rRNA amplicon sequencing) methods. The presence of Salmonella spp. and Y. enterocolitica was additionally assessed. Using MALDI-TOF MS, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Escherichia coli were found to dominate the bacterial cultures isolated from the 8 carcasses. Based on the 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing analyses however, no specific genus clearly dominated the bacterial community composition. By using this culture-independent method, the most abundant genera in microbial populations of the ham, back, jowl and belly were found to be similar, but important differences between the two slaughterhouses were observed. Thus, present data suggests that the indigenous bacterial population of individual animals is overruled by the microbial population of the slaughterhouse in which the carcass is handled. Also, our data suggests that sampling of only one carcass area by official authorities may be appropriate for the evaluation of the hygienic status of the carcasses and therefore of the slaughter process.

Viraemic pigs entering the food chain are the most likely source of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in pork meat: Modelling the fate of HEV during slaughtering of pigs

Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is an emerging foodborne pathogen and consumption of raw or undercooked pork products has been associated with increased risk of human infection. This work represents the first attempt to evaluate the risk of HEV being present on pig carcasses and in meat at the end of the slaughtering process considering the steps of bleeding, scalding, dehairing, singeing, polishing, evisceration and trimming. Based on available knowledge on the epidemiology and biology of HEV, the risk pathways leading to the presence of HEV on carcasses as a consequence of (i) faecal contamination of the skin from environment and contacts with contaminated faeces during transport and lairage, (ii) contact with viraemic blood at bleeding and (iii) faecal/bile cross-contamination during evisceration were assessed qualitatively. The pathway through which HEV could be present in meat of viraemic pigs, as conveyed by residual blood in muscular tissue after bleeding was instead modelled quantitatively. Of the three risk pathways evaluated qualitatively, only the occurrence of HEV on carcasses as a consequence of accidental rupture of the gut or gallbladder at evisceration was found to be non-negligible, but with a very low likelihood of occurrence. The quantitative output for the expected amount of HEV in meat of viraemic pigs shows minimum and maximum values of 0.10 and 1.1 × 104 genome copies (gc)/g respectively with 4.8 × 102 and 5.3 × 103 gc/g at 95th and 99th percentile of the cumulative distribution. These results are consistent with the existing evidence that levels of HEV RNA in meat samples are usually low even in the presence of high viral loads in livers of the same animals. Results of the sensitivity analysis confirm highly viraemic pigs entering the slaughter line as those posing the greater risk for consumers. Our study suggests that prevention of HEV infection through consumption of pork meat at pre-harvest/harvest stages should focus on reducing the flow of highly viraemic pigs into the food chain.

Coronaviruses in farm animals: Epidemiology and public health implications.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are documented in a wide range of animal species, including terrestrial and aquatic, domestic and wild. The geographic distribution of animal CoVs is worldwide and prevalences were reported in several countries across the five continents. The viruses are known to cause mainly gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases with different severity levels. In certain cases, CoV infections are responsible of huge economic losses associated or not to highly public health impact. Despite being enveloped, CoVs are relatively resistant pathogens in the environment. Coronaviruses are characterized by a high mutation and recombination rate, which makes host jumping and cross‐species transmission easy. In fact, increasing contact between different animal species fosters cross‐species transmission, while agriculture intensification, animal trade and herd management are key drivers at the human‐animal interface. If contacts with wild animals are still limited, humans have much more contact with farm animals, during breeding, transport, slaughter and food process, making CoVs a persistent threat to both humans and animals. A global network should be established for the surveillance and monitoring of animal CoVs.

Complex Internal Microstructure of Feather Follicles on Chicken Skin Promotes the Bacterial Cross-Contamination of Carcasses During the Slaughtering Process.

Chicken skin is considered the most susceptible to bacterial contamination during slaughter. It is rich in bushy feather follicles with complex internal structures that can absorb bacteria via cross-contamination during slaughter. Until now, the microstructural changes and local bacterial composition of feather follicles during slaughter have not been thoroughly investigated. This study used hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of the tissue paraffin section to investigate the structure of the feather follicles on chicken skin. In addition, the biopsy sampling method was employed for the high-throughput sequencing of 16S RNA genes to study the composition and source of bacterial contamination during slaughter. The results show that the feather follicles on chicken skin form a closed cavity structure during the slaughtering process. The volume of the irregular follicle cavity was about Ø: 200 μm × D: 1040 μm, which provides a place for the bacteria to absorb and resist the cleaning and disinfection during the slaughtering process. The composition of bacteria in the feather follicle was mainly Acinetobacter (37%), Psychrobacter (8%), Macrococcus (5%), and Comamonas (2%). The heat map obtained via the species abundance analysis of the feather follicle samples as well as the slaughter environment samples suggests that the gastrointestinal feces contaminated the feather follicles on the chicken skin mainly during the evisceration, defeathering, and chilling processes, and the last-stage chilling water also caused severe cross-contamination to the feather follicles during the chilling process.

Assessing Campylobacter Colonization of Broiler Herds Ante Mortem and Monitoring Campylobacter Contamination Post Mortem by qPCR.

Human campylobacteriosis is the most prevalent zoonosis, with chicken meat contributing substantially to the number of cases. Measures to avoid or at least reduce exposure by meat contaminated with Campylobacter (C.) spp. are needed. With regard to the process hygiene criterion introduced in 2018 for Campylobacter spp. on broiler carcasses, we evaluated the performance of a recently developed quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for C. jejuni/coli on random caecal samples and chicken meat. With the qPCR on pooled caecal samples not only C. jejuni/coli positive (69.6%) versus negative broiler herds (30.4%) were identified, but herds highly colonized with C. jejuni/coli (39.4%) could also be identified. From the chicken meat samples, 8.0% were positive for C. jejuni/coli by qPCR and 0.7% by enumeration (>10 cfu/g) compared to 58.3% using cultural enrichment. Given the higher sensitivity, the qPCR method could replace the currently used enumeration method to assess the process hygiene criterion for Campylobacter spp. on broiler carcasses. Moreover, with the qPCR, a reliable identification of C. jejuni/coli colonized incoming broiler herds a few days before slaughter is feasible, which provides important information to optimize slaughter processes. Finally, identifying and monitoring herds with high C. jejuni/coli colonization rates could help to individually improve biosecurity measures at farm level, eventually reducing the C. jejuni/coli load on chicken meat.

Continuities and changes of animal exploitation across the Bronze Age – Iron Age boundary at mining sites in the Eastern Alps

Since the 1990s, the Schwaz-Brixlegg mining district in the Lower Inn Valley, North Tyrol, Austria, features excavations on mostly Late Bronze (LBA) to Early Iron (EIA) Age sites, focusing on the reconstruction of metallurgic activities and of all aspects related to it. This paper reviews the Schwaz-Brixlegg archaeozoological materials and compares them with those from contemporaneous mining (copper and salt) sites on the Eastern Alps, to assess diet and subsistence strategies of the early alpine, geo-resource-centered, communities. The faunal remains from Schwaz-Brixlegg document a change in diet for the Lower Inn Valley area from the LBA to the EIA exemplified by a shift from a pig-based economy to another one based on cattle and occasionally small ruminants. These species were most often brought whole to the sites and only occasionally as meat cuts (in particular, ribs). Age and sex profiles indicate that miners consumed high-quality meat. As is also documented on prehistoric mining sites from the Eastern Alps, butchery marks evidence a standardized slaughtering process car- ried out by professional butchers. At Weißer Schrofen, pig was the main meat provider during the LBA, whereas cattle and sheep/goat were more important as dairy products and wool/skin providers. This pattern changed in the EIA, when sheep became the dominating meat supplier at the site of Bauernzeche. This shift may reflect an adaptation to climate changes, which determined the amount of fodder available for stocks, and/or to the impact of cultural and economic developments taking place during the Final Bronze Age. Variations on the faunal assemblages might also reflect agents such as topography and altitude. All in all, a logistic balance between miners (consumers) and peasants (producers) is revealed although more information is required (e.g. archaeobotany), to shed more light on the major changes recorded in the EIA. Based on gnawing marks from Weißer Schrofen, some of the dogs there must have been large-sized. Although this may constitute an exceptional case for the Bronze Age, similar results were reported from the EBA Brixlegg settlement at Mariahilfbergl. Future research is needed to elucidate the possible functional role of dogs in the context of early mining activities.

In silico mapping of microbial communities and stress responses in a porcine slaughterhouse and pork products through its production chain, and the efficacy of HLE disinfectant

The use of shotgun metagenomic sequencing to understand ecological-level spread of microbes and their genes has provided new insights for the prevention, surveillance and control of microbial contaminants in the slaughterhouse environment. Here, microbial samples were collected from products and surrounding areas though a porcine slaughter process; shotgun metagenomic DNA-sequencing of these samples revealed a high community diversity within the porcine slaughterhouse and pork products, in zones originating from animal arrival through to the sale zones. Bacteria were more prevalent in the first zones, such as arrival- and anesthesia-zones, and DNA viruses were prevalent in the scorching-and-whip zone, animal products and sale zone. Data revealed the dominance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla followed by Actinobacteria, with a clear shift in the relative abundance of lactic acid bacteria (mainly Lactobacillus sp.) from early slaughtering steps to Proteobacteria and then to viruses suggesting site-specific community compositions occur in the slaughterhouse. Porcine-type-C oncovirus was the main virus found in slaughterhouse, which causes malignant diseases in animals and humans. As such, to guarantee food safety in a slaughterhouse, a better decipher of ecology and adaptation strategies of microbes becomes crucial. Analysis of functional genes further revealed high abundance of diverse genes associated with stress, especially in early zones (animal and environmental surfaces of arrival zone with 57,710 and 40,806 genes, respectively); SOS responsive genes represented the most prevalent, possibly associated with genomic changes responsible of biofilm formation, stringent response, heat shock, antimicrobial production and antibiotic response. The presence of several antibiotic resistance genes suggests horizontal gene transfer, thus increasing the likelihood for resistance selection in human pathogens. These findings are of great concern, with the suggestion to focus control measures and establish good disinfection strategies to avoid gene spread and microbial contaminants (bacteria and viruses) from the animal surface into the food chain and environment, which was achieved by applying HLE disinfectant after washing with detergent.

Meat Safety in Northern Tanzania: Inspectors' and Slaughter Workers' Risk Perceptions and Management.

Through a social scientific lens, this paper considers the risk perceptions and “risk-based decision-making” of two key groups in a northern Tanzanian context: (1) frontline government meat inspectors and health officers charged with ensuring that red meat sold commercially is safe for people to consume, and (2) the workers who slaughter and process cattle and red meat prior to its sale in rural butcheries. In contrast to techno-scientific understandings of disease risk and “rational” approaches to its management, this paper foregrounds the role of social, economic and institutional context in shaping the perceptions and practices around meat safety of these actors whose daily, close proximity to meat means they play a significant role in mitigating potential meat-borne disease. We show how limited resources, and a combination of scientific and local knowledge and norms result in “situated expertise” and particular forms of risk perception and practice which both enhance and compromise meat safety in different ways. Actors' shared concerns with what is visible, ensures that visibly unsafe or abnormal meat is excluded from sale, and that infrastructure and meat is kept “clean” and free of certain visible contaminants such as soil or, on occasion, feces. While such contaminants serve as a good proxy for pathogen presence, meat inspectors and especially slaughter workers were much less aware of or concerned with invisible pathogens that may compromise meat safety. The role of process and meat handling did not figure very strongly in their concerns. Microorganisms such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, which can easily be transferred onto meat and persist in slaughter and meat sale environments, went unacknowledged. Although health officers expressed more concern with hygiene and meat handling, their influence over slaughter process and butchery operations was unclear. Ultimately, recognizing the perceptions and practices of frontline actors who engage with meat, and the ways in which social, material and institutional realities shape these, is important for understanding how decisions about risk and meat safety are made in the complexity and context of everyday life, and thus for finding effective ways to support them to further enhance their work.

Impact of hygienic slaughter practices on Salmonella contamination of broiler carcasses in Biskra, Algeria

Poultry meat is the primary meat consumed in Algeria, surpassing sheep and beef in the 1980s. However, this product is often at risk of being contaminated by Salmonella. Salmonellosis is a foodborne disease with tens of millions of human cases estimated to occur worldwide, and resulting in more than a hundred thousand deaths per year. According to the World Health Organization, salmonellosis in humans is generally contracted through the consumption of contaminated food of animal origin, including poultry. The main objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with Salmonella contamination of broiler carcasses at the slaughterhouse. Sixty fresh chicken carcasses from six slaughterhouses were subjected to bacteriological analysis in accordance with AFNOR (French Standardization Association) standards. Statistical analyses showed an impact of the hygienic quality of the slaughter process on the likelihood of Salmonella contamination of poultry meat. A correlation (r=0.84) was found between hygienic slaughter practices and Salmonella contamination of chicken carcasses. The average level of TAMB (total aerobic mesophilic bacteria) was high in carcasses positive for Salmonella (t-test = 0.019). Not washing live bird transport crates was associated with an increasing risk of Salmonella contamination carcasses (odds ratio/OR = 28). The mean level of TAMB was higher in the presence of the following risk factors: old and small slaughterhouse, not washing live bird transport crates, manual bleeding, scalding type (soaking), non-renewal of scalding water, no disinfectant in water, no ventilation drying, no sanitary facilities. The identification of risk factors responsible for bacterial contamination of broiler meat is essential to determine the most effective methods of prevention.

Bovine lymph nodes as a source of Escherichia coli contamination of the meat

Ground beef contamination with Escherichia coli is usually a result of carcass faecal contamination during the slaughter process. Carcasses are contaminated when they come into contact with soiled hides or intestinal leakage content during dressing and the evisceration processes. A more recent and compelling hypothesis is that, when lymph nodes are present in manufacturing beef trimmings, they can be a potential source of Enterobacteriaceae contamination of ground beef. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of E. coli in lymph nodes from beef carcasses used for ground meat production, in six slaughter plants situated in central Italy A total of 597 subiliac (precrural) lymph nodes were obtained from 597 cattle carcasses and screened for E. coli by culture. Furthermore, E. coli isolates (one per positive carcass) were tested for stx1, stx2 eaeA and hlyA genes that are commonly used to identify and characterise shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). In addition, the E. coli isolates were profiled for antimicrobial susceptibility. A proportion of 34.2% (204/597) carcasses were positive for E. coli. PCR revealed that 29% (59/204) of E. coli possessed stx1 or stx2 which corresponded to 9.9% of the cattle sampled. Moreover, a combination of stx1 or stx2 and eaeA was found in in 4 isolates (2% among E. coli positive samples and 1% among cattle sampled) and a combination of stx1 or stx2 and eaeA and hly in 1 isolate (0.5% and 0.2%). More than 95% of isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, ceftriaxone, cyprofloxacin and cefotaxime while high rates of resistance were recorded for cephalotin, ampicillin, tetracycline, tripe sulfa and streptomycin. The multivariate analysis identified “age” as the factor most closely related to E. coli positivity (either generic E. coli or STEC) in bovine lymph nodes. In conclusion, subiliac lymph nodes represent a source of E. coli for ground beef. These results are of major importance for risk assessment and improving good manufacturing practices during animal slaughter and ground meat production.

Comparative assessment of the quality of rabbit meat, which was obtained in the conditions of a slaughter enterprise and backyard

Recently, healthy food products, include rabbit meat, are becoming increasingly popular consumers. Given the large percentage of households producing rabbit meat, as well as the development of relevant enterprises, the issue of quality of rabbit meat obtained under various technological conditions is relevant. The research material was two groups of Californian breed rabbits: the first (I) in the amount of 32 animals from a small rabbit farm city, the second (II) in the amount of 60 animals from a rabbit breeding and processing enterprise in the Dnipro. The experience consisted of determining: technological features of the slaughter and primary processing of rabbits, meat production and quality characteristics of rabbit meat, as well as slaughter veterinary and sanitary examination and histomorphological research. The general patterns of slaughter and primary processing of rabbits of both groups were generally similar and consistent with the requirements. The differences are defined in the methods of stunning, bleeding, toilet carcasses and preparing them for storage. A quick and effective method of bleeding rabbits of group II led to blood contamination of the skins, while in group I the skins remained clean. The dressing out percentage of rabbit backyard slaughter was 6.2 % higher (P < 0.001) than at the enterprise, and, conversely, the loss of carcass meat juice after cooling was 3.24 % less (P < 0.01) in production than in the small farm. The decrease in meat pH at the extreme minimum values per day after slaughter in the 1st group was more intense than in the 2nd group: 5.72 and 5.93 (P <0.001), respectively. The influence of the conditions for the production of rabbit meat on the moisture and protein content in meat was not revealed. The pathological changes common to both groups of rabbits were characterized by the detection of hematomas, subcutaneous abscesses in carcasses (9.4 % and 5.0 % of cases), hepatic coccidiosis (12.5 % and 18.3 %). A significant difference was found in pathological changes in the lungs: the incidence of hemoaspiration of the lungs of rabbit slaughter was 16.5 times higher than that of rabbits slaughtered under production conditions.

Is Humane Slaughter Possible?

Simple SummaryWhen looking at the welfare of farmed animals, it is important to also consider the conditions at the end of their lives. How animals are transported and slaughtered can have a large impact on their lifetime welfare. Though most work focusses on reducing the pain and suffering experienced during slaughter, we argue that to be humane, slaughter must not create any kind of harm to the animal. As death itself is harmful to welfare—due to depriving the animal of future positive experiences—slaughter can never be truly humane. Furthermore, the order in which an animal experiences positive and negative events has an impact on welfare, and since slaughter places suffering at the end of life, it is even more harmful. Although these considerations mean that no slaughter can ever be completely humane, it is still important to continue research to improve practices so that as long as it continues, harms to welfare are minimised as much as possible.One of the biggest ethical issues in animal agriculture is that of the welfare of animals at the end of their lives, during the process of slaughter. Much work in animal welfare science is focussed on finding humane ways to transport and slaughter animals, to minimise the harm done during this process. In this paper, we take a philosophical look at what it means to perform slaughter humanely, beyond simply reducing pain and suffering during the slaughter process. In particular, we will examine the issue of the harms of deprivation inflicted in ending life prematurely, as well as shape of life concerns and the ethical implications of inflicting these harms at the end of life, without the potential for future offsetting through positive experiences. We will argue that though these considerations may mean that no slaughter is in a deep sense truly ‘humane’, this should not undermine the importance of further research and development to ensure that while the practice continues, animal welfare harms are minimised as far as possible.

Characterization and Prevalence of Campylobacter spp. From Broiler Chicken Rearing Period to the Slaughtering Process in Eastern China.

Campylobacter is one of the most important foodborne pathogens worldwide, and poultry is regarded as the main reservoir of Campylobacter. The contamination of Campylobacter in broiler chickens at the farm level is closely related to the transmission of Campylobacter in the poultry production chain. This study identified 464 Campylobacter isolates from 1,534 samples from broiler rearing period and slaughtering process including 233 Campylobacter jejuni isolates and 231 Campylobacter coli isolates. We have observed a dynamic distribution of Campylobacter during broiler chicken production, that 66.3% of Campylobacter isolates were C. jejuni during broiler rearing period, while C. coli occupied 60.4% of Campylobacter isolates during the broiler slaughtering process. A tag-label method allowed us to track the dynamic of Campylobacter in each broiler chicken from 31-day age at rearing to the partition step in the slaughterhouse. At the 31-day during rearing, 150 broiler chicken were labeled, and was tracked for Campylobacter positive from rearing period to slaughtering process. Among the labeled broiler, 11 of the tracking broiler samples were able to detect Campylobacter from rearing period to slaughtering. All Campylobacter isolates from the 11 tracking samples were sequenced and analyzed. C. jejuni isolates were divided into four STs and C. coli isolates were divided into six STs. Isolates with identical core genome were observed from the same tag-labeled samples at different stages indicating a vertical transmission of Campylobacter in the early broiler meat production. Meanwhile, the core genome analysis elucidated the cross-contamination of Campylobacter during the rearing period and the slaughtering process. The virulotyping analysis revealed that all C. jejuni isolates shared the same virulotypes, while C. coli isolates were divided into three different virulotypes. The antimicrobial resistance gene analysis demonstrated that all Campylobacter isolates contained at least two antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and the ARG profiles were well-corresponding to each ST type. Our study observed a high prevalence of Campylobacter during the early chicken meat production, and further studies will be needed to investigate the diversity and transmission of Campylobacter in the poultry production chain.

Valorization of Yak (Bos grunniens) Bones as Sources of Functional Ingredients

Yak (Bos grunniens) bone, is an underutilized biowaste that is generated as a major byproduct from yak slaughtering process. More commonly, yak bones are either made into primary processing products like whole bone powder or simply disposed, which may not only cause resources waste but also produce pressure on the sensitive and frail environment in cold plateau areas. The aim of this study was to valorize yak bone biowastes to functional ingredients while simultaneously reduce the adverse impact of yak bone biowastes discharge on plateau fragile ecological environment. Sequential purification of yak bone collagen hydrolysates was achieved by ultrafiltration, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), semi-preparative reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and HPLC coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI–MS/MS). The bioactivity of the peptides on MC3T3-E1 osteoblast proliferation was evaluated in vitro by MTT method. Furthermore, the most potent peptide was selected and its underlying molecular mechanism was investigated through molecular docking simulation using the software of Discovery Studio 2018. 35 novel peptides were identified by mass spectrometry analysis, of which 9 were chemically synthesized and evaluated for the osteoblast proliferation-promoting activity. At a concentration of 0.05 mg/mL, peptide GPAGPPGPIGNV displayed the highest osteoblast proliferation-promoting activity with an increase of 42.7% in cell growth. Molecular docking study revealed that the main interactions of GPAGPPGPIGNV with epidermal growth factor receptor were the van der waals and hydrogen bonding. These results suggest that yak bones-derived peptides could be potentially used as osteogenic ingredients in functional foods. This work provides a feasible strategy for valorization of yak bone biowastes and sustainable development of animal husbandry industry in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. This work provides a feasible strategy for valorization of yak bone biowastes and sustainable development of animal husbandry industry in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

A Research on Chicken Meat Perceptions of Consumers Living in Diyarbakır Province and Factors Affecting These Perceptions

Bu çalışma, Diyarbakır Merkez ilçelerinde (Bağlar, Kayapınar, Yenişehir ve Sur) yaşayan tüketicilerin piyasadaki tavuk etiyle ilgili algılarının ve bu algıları etkileyen faktörlerin belirlenmesi amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışmada, Diyarbakır iline bağlı 4 merkez ilçeden toplam 281 tüketiciyle yapılan anket çalışmalarından elde edilen veriler kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, tüketicilerin, özellikle yaş, eğitim durumu ve gelir seviyesine bağlı olarak tavuk etine yönelik yanlış ve olumsuz açıklamalardan etkilendiği belirlenmiştir. Tavuk etinin elde edilmesi aşamalarında, tüketicilerin büyük bir kısmının gerçek olmasa da inandığı bazı uygulamaların insanların algılarını olumsuz yönde etkilediği görülmüştür. Bu algı, tüketicileri tavuk eti yerine daha sağlıklı olduğunu düşündükleri kırmızı et tüketmeye yönlendirmektedir. Anket yapılan tüketicilerin büyük bir kısmı, etlik piliç üretiminde, hormon ve antibiyotik vb. katkıların kullanıldığına inandıklarını ve bu nedenle piyasadaki tavuk etini sağlıklı bulmadıklarını belirtmişlerdir. Bu olumsuz algının değişmesinde, tavuk eti arz zincirinin daha şeffaf hale getirilmesi ile tüketicilerin yetiştirme, kesim ve dağıtım sürecinin nasıl işlediğini bilmesi yarar sağlayabilecektir. Sonuç olarak, etlik piliç üretiminde, sadece piyasanın teknolojik ve ekonomik taleplerinin ele alınmasının yeterli olmadığı, üretilen piliç etinin sağlıklı ve güvenilir olduğu algısının da aynı derecede önem taşıdığı dikkate alınarak tüketicilerin bu konuda bilinçlendirilmesinin gerekli olduğu kanısına varılmıştır.

Risk Prevention and Control Points Through Quantitative Evaluation of Campylobacter in a Large Broiler Slaughterhouse.

Chickens contaminated with Campylobacter are a major risk factor for human Campylobacter disease. As a result of the slaughter process, infections should be strictly controlled due to complete exposure of the chickens and the cross-contamination of pathogens. Using @RISK software, quantitative evaluation models of Campylobacter contamination during slaughtering in a large broiler slaughterhouse were constructed. Broiler scalding was set as the starting point of evaluation and four major processes including defeathering, eviscerating, pre-cool rinsing, and splitting-transmission were included. Through the simulation of the constructed model, 90% probability of Campylobacter in 100 g chickens after slaughtering were distributed between 0.3 and 50.2 MPN, which was consistent with simulated actual monitoring data 0–16.6 MPN, indicating that the model shows high credibility. In addition, growth curves of Campylobacter during whole slaughtering showed that contamination significantly increased after defeathering, and increased again after pre-cool rinsing. Using correlation coefficients to analyze the sensitivity of each parameter in the model, it was determined that the concentration of Campylobacter in the pre-cool pond water (correlation coefficient: 0.95) was the most critical risk point of sanitary control in this slaughterhouse. In conclusion, this study is the first to incorporate environmental factors during broiler slaughtering into the risk evaluation of Campylobacter contamination, which provides guidance for the sanitary control and risk management of Campylobacter contamination during broiler slaughtering.

Detection of chicken carcasses contaminated with Salmonella enterica serovar in the abattoir environment of Taiwan

Although a nation-wide microbiological screening program of chicken carcasses after chilling in Taiwanese chicken abattoirs has been undertaken since 2006, little is known regarding the potential sources of the Salmonella during the slaughter process. The present study provides data on the detection and serotypes of Salmonella isolated from broilers during processing and from the environment in six abattoirs in Taiwan. Overall, Salmonella were detected in 156 of 622 samples (25.1%; 95% CI: 21.7–28.7) collected. The prevalence of Salmonella varied between sampling sites with 5.8, 17.6, 31.3 and 35.5% of cloacal swabs, environmental samples prior to processing, environmental samples during processing and carcass rinse fluid, respectively, being positive (χ2 = 51.3, p < 0.0001). A total of 15 serotypes were identified from the 156 Salmonella isolates with S. Albany (41.7%) S. Schwarzengrund (20.5%), S. Kentucky (12.8%) and S. Tennessee (5.1%) being the most commonly isolated serotypes. Characterization of 156 isolates by Pulse Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) identified 50 PFGE types. Typing confirmed the presence of the same PFGE type at multiple stages during processing including plucking, evisceration, chilling and post-chilling. The abattoir environment and intestinal contents of chickens are important sources of Salmonella in broiler chicken abattoirs, with the same PFGE types detected at different stages of processing both before and during slaughtering. It is concluded that Salmonella isolates present in the environment and intestinal contents of processed birds survived in the abattoir environment resulting in subsequent carcass contamination along the processing chain including plucking, evisceration, chilling and post-chilling.

DEVELOPMENT OF A WEB APPLICATION FOR ESTIMATING CO2-EQUIVALENT EMISSIONS OF POULTRY AND SWINE SLAUGHTERING PROCESSES

This study aimed to create a web application to evaluate GHG emissions of poultry and swine slaughtering processes. The development was based on the carbon footprint of the product and life cycle assessment approach. The designed scope involved a cradle-to-gate assessment. The CO2-eq estimation results are based on the following functional units: per kilogram of animal live weight, or per number of live animals, or a product-based perspective as per kilogram of animal meat or carcass. The developed application can be conceptualized in three main components. First is a web-based user interface, separated in input and output parts. Slaughterhouse information and activity data were required to be entered as site-specific input data while CO2-equivalent emission was shown as carbon footprint output. Next, the processing system was designed to function regarding various conditions of input data, ranging from minimum to detailed data sets providing a simple, coarse, and detailed estimation. Finally, the system database used to access and store emission factors, historical data, and carbon footprint results was created using a relational database model to organize data in a set of 6 tables. Moreover, many functionalities were considered and incorporated in the application to facilitate the user’s estimation such as navigation tool, functional unit selection, data validation and null check, emission factor management, report/export documentation, and data confidentiality and security. The potential of this developed application is expected to aid the Thai slaughterhouse industry calculating their GHG emissions released in the environment, and subsequently leading to CO2 mitigation.

Levels of microbial contamination of swine carcasses along the slaughtering process line

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the microbial contamination of domestic swine carcasses over an 8-year period in a slaughterhouse located in the Marche region, Central Italy. The hygiene of the slaughter process was assessed by microbiological criteria involving aerobic colony count (ACC), Enterobacteriaceae and Salmonella spp. [Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 and amendments]. Five carcasses were tested during five sampling sessions each year (four different sites from each carcass were pooled before the analysis) for a total of 200 samples. The results of the study showed low levels of ACC and Enterobacteriaceae and the absence of Salmonella spp., except for one sample. The values of ACC were consistently satisfactory (< 3.3 Log CFU/cm2), whereas Enterobacteriaceae counts were satisfactory for 32.5% (< 1.3 Log CFU/cm2) and acceptable for 67.5% (with values between 1.3 and 2.3 Log CFU/cm2) of the examined samples. The low microbial counts detected on the carcasses reflected the initial visual examination of animal “cleanliness” [Regulation (EC) No 853/2004] as well as the hygiene conditions of the slaughtering process. These results suggest that the management of this specific slaughterhouse apply good hygiene practices to ensure high quality animal carcasses.