Slaughter Process Research Articles

Assessment of Perception of Rabies Infection Risk among Dog Handlers and ‎Dog Meat Consumers in Plateau State, Nigeria

The risk of rabies exposure via atypical means such as handling dogs that have uncertain vaccination status, handling/processing and eating dog meat make public enlightenment inevitable. A cross-sectional study was conducted among dog handlers, dog meat handlers, and consumers at dog sales/slaughter locations and sales points of dog meat in the three major dog markets in Plateau State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were randomly administered to 150 respondents via face-to-face interviews or self-administered. Data collected were analyzed using IBM® SPSS® statistics version 23.0. Chi-squared test of association was conducted to determine the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and perceived risk of rabies exposure among respondents. Binary logistic regression models were used to determine the strength of the association. Logistic regression models were statistically significant for the combination of sex and tertiary educational background to predict likelihood that respondents would eat all parts of dog meat, χ2 (2) = 7.023, P-value = 0.03. The effect size was between 6.2% (Cox and Snell R2) and 8.4% (Nagelkerke R2) of the variance in likelihood to eat all parts of dog meat and correctly classified as 60.9% of cases. Educational background was the only statistically significant predictor variable (p-value=0.016; 95% CI: 0.16– 0.83), as respondents in the higher educational cadre (tertiary) have a better perception of risk of rabies and are not likely to eat all parts of the dog meat nor a rabid dog. The study reveals the significance of taking appropriate actions to ensure rabies control and prevention, rather than having mere head knowledge of the disease. Strict policies against indiscriminate dog trade, uninspected slaughter, and improper processing of dog meat, are necessary steps to prevent disease incursions via atypical means.

Consumer expectations towards slaughtering: Are there different expectations towards the slaughter of conventional and organic animals?

The German meat industry and especially the slaughter industry has an overall poor standing in society's view, but little is known about consumers' perception of slaughterhouses. A survey was conducted to evaluate how consumers expect different aspects of the slaughter process and whether there are differences in the perception of the slaughter of conventional and organic animals. The results confirm consumers' negative views of the slaughter process in general. However, it is not particularly the slaughter process itself that consumers rate the worst, but rather the stressful and fearful atmosphere, the handling and treatment of the animals, as well as the working conditions, which are perceived most negatively. Further, consumers have a significantly more positive view on the slaughter of organic animals than on the conventional slaughter process, although the EU organic regulation sets almost no specific standard. The results underline the need for improvement in the conventional slaughter process but also in the slaughtering of organic animals from a consumer perspective.

Impact of nanoscale coating of stainless steel on Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli

AbstractCross‐contamination in the poultry slaughtering process can lead to thespread of zoonotic bacteria like Salmonellaenterica. Surfaces of equiptment may facilitate contamination of carcasses due to bacterial adherence and transfer. In this study, attachment, proliferation, and detachment of Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli were comparatively investigated on uncoated and silica‐coated stainless‐steel surfaces. The conditions occurring in the slaughtering workflow were imitated on laboratory scale, for example, spilling of contaminated liquid onto equipment surfaces, pressing or sliding of carcasses against surfaces during the slaughtering procedure, and cleaning of contaminated stainless‐steel surfaces with water or detergent. Growth on stainless‐steel surfaces was measured for 8 h. The applied silica coating led to a partly higher repelling effect without impact on proliferation for the target organisms on stainless steel. Further development of the coating and daption to the exact circumstances as well as more extending testing under real conditions would be the next steps.

Animal Welfare during Transport and Slaughter of Cattle: A Systematic Review of Studies in the European Legal Framework.

Literature related to European transport and slaughter processes were included in this systematic review. The publication period is limited to the past twelve years since the European Animal Welfare Transport Regulation was enacted in 2009. Three different databases were used. The final screening resulted in the inclusion of 19 articles in this review. When handling cattle during transport and slaughter, personnel have an important impact and may inflict stress on the animals. Other factors, such as the group composition and health status prior to transport, can have a strong negative effect on animal welfare. At the abattoir, constructional conditions and the resulting environmental influences can have a negative impact on welfare as well. These include increased noise levels due to the lack of noise dampening and changing light conditions. Stress in cattle can be assessed, e.g., by measuring stress hormones or heart rate. Effective stunning is an important welfare-relevant step in the slaughtering process. Some signs of unconsciousness, such as immediate body collapse or absence of the corneal reflex, can be easily assessed. Expertise and continuous training of all personnel involved are important measures in stress reduction.

Jaminan Produk Makanan Halal Pedagang Kaki Lima di Kawasan Religi Sunan Ampel Perspektif Undang-Undang No. 33 Tahun 2014

The Sunan Ampel religious area is one of the places labeled as halal tourism in Indonesia, especially in Surabaya. Halal tourism is a vehicle or entertainment for the community in which there are religious elements from tombs to entertainment venues with an Islamic atmosphere. Of course halal tourism must guarantee the halalness of the entire halal tourism area, from location to consumption products. Halal in Indonesia has been regulated by the government through laws to government regulations and clerical fatwas. Law No. 33 of 2014 is one of the regulations that contains matters relating to halal certification and regulates the obligation of halal certification for macro and micro businesses throughout Indonesia. Street vendors are included in micro businesses that should be mandatory for halal certification, but according to observation data and observations made at street vendors in the Sunan Ampel religious area, there are still many street vendors who do not understand or do not understand halal certification. As evidenced by the ingredients that are still vague because they do not know the clarity of the ingredients used, starting from the unclear slaughter process, naming products that still contain kufr and falsehood, the hygiene of some traders that has not been guaranteed in accordance with the rules of the existing regulations in Law. No. 33 of 2014 and regulations relating to halal certification.
 Keywords Halal Product Guarantee, Street Food, Ampel Sunan Religious Area, Law No. 33 of 2014, halal certification.

Transition of microbial contamination on the surface of carcass during the cattle slaughter process.

In this study, we aimed to investigate how microbial contamination progresses on the carcass surface during the slaughter process. Cattle carcasses were tracked during a series of slaughter processes (five steps), and carcass surfaces (four parts) and equipment (nine types) were swabbed to investigate the bacterial contamination. Results showed that the outer surface (near the rear region of the flank [Top round] and [Top sirloin butt]) had significantly higher total viable counts (TVCs) than inner surface (p<0.01) and that TVCs gradually decreased along the process. Enterobacteriaceae (EB) counts were high on the splitting saw and in top round region, and EB was detected on the inner surface of the carcasses. Furthermore, in some carcasses, Yersinia spp., Serratia spp., and Clostridium spp. present on top round and top sirloin butt immediately after skinning and remained on the carcass surface after the final process. These bacterial groups are detrimental to beef quality as they can grow in the package during cold distribution. Our results show that the skinning process is the most prone to microbial contamination, including psychrotolerant microorganisms. Moreover, this study provides information for understanding the dynamics of microbial contamination in the cattle slaughter process.

Illegal slaughter of sheep for “smokies” production and for the Muslim sacrifice of Qurbani in the UK: animal welfare and food safety implications

Purpose It is the expectation of Halal consumers that the meat they buy in retail shops and restaurants are ethically and legally reared and slaughtered in approved premises to protect animal welfare and public health. While this may be the case in multinational and well-established supermarkets due to due diligence on the part of retailers, there is evidence to suggest that some independent retail shops and ethnic restaurants in the UK partake in selling meat from illegally slaughtered animals. It is a crime that involves many players, but usually masterminded by rural entrepreneurs, including rogue farmers who supply the animals for illegal slaughter and further processing into smokies, or as part of the Islamic festival of Qurbani, in makeshift abattoirs. The purpose of this paper is to highlight illegal slaughter of sheep for the Halal market and how these impacts on food integrity and animal welfare.Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines the legality of slaughter in accordance with UK animal welfare and food safety legislations. The documentary research approach is adopted to examine available information on the activities of organised criminal gangs in the production of smokies and their possible involvement in Qurbani fraud.FindingsThis paper demonstrates the involvement of some rogue farmers who are facilitating the smokies trade and illegal slaughter of sheep during the Qurbani sacrifice. It is worth noting that while these illegal activities occur in the Halal sector, the perpetrators are not always Muslims. The processing of illegally slaughtered sheep takes place in unhygienic conditions which is of food safety, public health concern and may violate the religious rules around slaughter.Originality/valueIllegal slaughter for the Muslim sacrifice of Qurbani is underreported, this paper aims to highlight the animal welfare and food safety aspects of this type of slaughter, in addition to those slaughtered for smokies production.

Prevalence and Antimicrobial-Resistant Patterns of Non-typhoidal Salmonella in Good Agricultural Practice Certified Broiler Farms and Poultry Slaughterhouses in an Intensive Farming Area in Upper Northern Part of Thailand

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is still one of the most infectious foodborne pathogens causing problematic health issues worldwide in both human and veterinary medicine. Poultry meat was one of the important sources of NTS spreading and tended to be highly resistant to antibiotics. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, serotypes, and antimicrobial-resistant patterns of Salmonella circulating in broiler farms and poultry slaughterhouses in an intensive farming area in the upper northern part of Thailand from August to October 2019. Fifty samples of boot swabs were collected from 50 broiler farms, 50 cecal samples, and 250 neck skin samples from slaughterhouses. Salmonella was identified by culture method and serum-agglutination and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was tested using the automated VITEK-2 compact system. This study's total prevalence of Salmonella was 53.71% (n=188/350). We found that 53% (159/300) of cecal and neck skins samples were collected from slaughterhouses and 58% (29/50) of boot swabs collected from broiler farms were positive for NTS. Twenty-four serotypes of NTS were identified, the most encountered was S. Kentucky. The antimicrobial-resistant patterns showed that all the strains were non-susceptible to amikacin, cefalexin, cephalothin, and gentamicin and were susceptible to imipenem, neomycin, and nitrofurantoin. The NTS prevalence in samples from broiler farms was slightly higher than in poultry slaughterhouses indicating that there was contamination in the farming and slaughtering process. Therefore, both hygienic measurements in poultry production and antimicrobial usage in the poultry industry should be considered.

Bacteriological quality assessment of poultry chicken meat and meat contact surfaces for the presence of targeted bacteria and determination of antibiotic resistance of Salmonella spp. in Pakistan

During the slaughtering process, the meat product cross-contaminates with the surrounding contact surfaces. This study aimed to assess the level of microbial contamination of poultry chicken meat and contact surfaces at poultry slaughterhouses in the Hyderabad and Jamshoro districts of Pakistan. A total of 38 slaughter shops were selected, and from each shop, three types of samples were collected. All the samples were assessed for the presence of three microbes, Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli by using some culture-based techniques, and for Salmonella, antibiotic resistance was also determined. Results revealed that Shigella was present in 86.8% of knives, 94.7% of chopping board and 97.3% of meat samples. While, the E. coli was present in 86.8% of knife, 97.3% of chopping board, and 97.3% of meat samples. Salmonella was detected in 97.3% of knives, 92% of chopping boards, and 97.3% of meat samples. All the isolates of Salmonella exhibited resistance to one or more antibiotics. Resistance to ampicillin, gentamicin, cefotaxime, erythromycin, neomycin, streptomycin, and sulphamethoxazole were evident in 91.7%, 25.6%, 32.1%, 40.3%, 33.9%, 34.8%, and 52.2% respectively. However, only 6.4% of isolates showed resistance to azithromycin (6.4%), and none of them showed resistance to ceftazidime. Moreover, 61.4% (67/109) of isolates were multiple drug-resistance (MDR). A high prevalence of Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli in meat and on contact surfaces can be considered a major risk for human health. It is vital to continue developing strategies to limit the danger of foodborne diseases in slaughtering facilities.

Integration of mesophilic biogas plant in the animal slaughter process under real limitations: Techno-economic evaluation of a colombian bovine slaughterhouse.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been a widely tested alternative for the management and valorization of wastewater from the animal slaughter process. However, the integration of AD in slaughterhouses depends on technical and economic aspects. In Colombian slaughterhouses AD integration is limited by the availability of land. In the present study, a techno-economic evaluation of the AD of offal wastewater (OWW) stream in a laboratory scale mesophilic tubular digester was carried out. The digester was operated at organic loading rates (OLR) of 0.28, 0.50, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0kg VS/m3 d. Boilers and a CHP (combined heat and power) system were considered for energy integration of biogas. For the economic study, the cost structure of a Colombian slaughterhouse was considered. The AD of OWW at 2.0kg VS/m3 d OLR was unstable with risk of inhibition. Increasing the OLR from 0.28 to 1.5kg VS/m3 d caused a reduction in the specific biogas production (SBP) from 0.474 to 0.069m3/kg VS However, the biogas production rate (BPR) remained constant at around 0.105m3/m3dig d for OLRs>0.28kg VSm3 d. Therefore, OWW anaerobic digestion in low-cost mesophilic biogas plants is technically feasible with OLRs between 0.28 and 1.5kg VS/m3 d. The implementation of boilers is economically favorable for OLR≥1.0kg VS/m3 d. Nevertheless, feasibility is very sensitive to variations in the cost structure. The implementation of CHP was feasible in the range of OLRs evaluated and its viability is not affected by changes in assumed costs.

Slaughterhouse Waste Treatment Equipment to Produce Plant Fertilizer and Fish Feed

Chicken slaughter process waste is divided into two types, solid waste and liquid waste. Almost all of the waste generated by the chicken slaughter process can be reused. Lately, Vocational High School in Pasuruan, East Java, has Livestock Agribusiness unit that made a waste treatment program to deal with the problem of waste from the surrounding chicken slaughter process. However, some chicken slaughter process waste cannot be reprocessed and is directly dumped into the sewer due to limited technology. The type of waste that cannot reprocess is blood and chicken feather waste. This research aims to process the waste into high-quality fish food by applying the principle of automation and integrating machines with existing chicken cutting machines. The application of this appropriate technology begins with observing the existing conditions and the process of designing, manufacturing, and testing equipment carried out at Vocational High School in Pasuruan. The research resulted in designing and manufacturing machines that support waste treatment of blood and chicken feathers from Livestock Agribusiness. The machine design consists of three main components: a blood and chicken feather grinder, a vertical mixer, and a fish feed press machine. The expectations of this machine design will support productivity and concern for waste management, which can also build environmentally friendly standards in the Livestock Agribusiness unit of Vocational School in Pasuruan.

An Application of Pareto Analysis and Cause-and-Effect Diagram in Raw Hide and Skin Defects Minimization in Ethiopia: Selected Case Dire Dawa City Slaughterhouse (Ethiopia)

According to the reports of CSA (Central Statistics Agency) 2020 Ethiopia is the 10th in the world and 1st in Africa by cattle production. Furthermore, the leather sector is the priority sector in Ethiopia. Leather industries are facing challenges in improving productivity and quality in the competitive market nowadays. The input materials for leather industries are goat and sheep skin, and cattle hide in Ethiopia. However, there are raw hide and skin defects due to preslaughter, during slaughter and post-slaughter process. This study focuses on the minimization of the major defects in preslaughter and during the slaughter of raw hide and skin process by application of Pareto analysis and fishbone diagram in Ethiopia in the case of Dire Dawa city. The Pareto analysis reveals that priority should be given to solving the problems of pre-slaughter and during-slaughter defects of raw hide and skin. Based on cause-and-effect diagram analysis, the main causes are: machine, material, environment, man, measures and management, root causes, heated metal shape for brand mark, during diseases different action is taken, hit animal using different steel, grass used for food, animals home making material, drinking water, stick, topography, hot area, old area, lack of awareness about hide and skin outputs, traditional methods of water in forage for the animals during farming, traditional methods used for medications for raw hide and defects identified. Finally, a few recommendations are made to reduce raw hide and skin defects.

Anaerobic Digestion of Poultry Droppings in Semi-Continuous Mode and Effect of Their Co-Digestion with Physico-Chemical Sludge on Methane Yield

Poultry waste is rich in organic matter, which allows its treatment by the process of anaerobic digestion (AD) to reinforce economic and environmental green strategies. The aim of this study is to assess the technical feasibility of poultry waste AD in semi-continuous mode and to intensify methane production by co-digestion with physico-chemical sludge, i.e., the product of the primary treatment of wastewater after the slaughtering process. First, the AD of poultry droppings is conducted in a continuous stirred anaerobic digester (CSAD) at 37 °C. A volume of 0.791 and 0.623 Nm3·Nm−3 reactor·days−1 of biogas and methane, respectively, were produced during the entire process stabilization period. Biochemical characterization of the substrate and the final digestate show high reduction rates of the biochemical fractions, which corroborates with methane yield. In addition, the co-digestion of poultry droppings with two different ratios of physico-chemical sludge (20% and 40% added sludge considering the amount of volatile solids) shows an increase in methane production versus droppings alone, with a higher increase of 54% with a sludge ratio of 40%. Altogether, these promising results were obtained in stable processes, highlighting the pertinence of our study.

Using a value chain framework for food safety assessment of edible offals in Nairobi, Kenya

Edible offals comprise those parts of the animal considered fit for human consumption apart from the skeletal muscle, fat and attached skin. Edible offals form an important source of affordable animal protein and a delicacy for the larger Kenyan market. The offals are mainly traded in the informal markets which supplies at least 80% of the domestic market and where hygiene levels are low. The Meat Control Act Chapter 356, Laws of Kenya (Revised 2012) requires that offals be obtained from an officially declared food animal that has been slaughtered in a licensed slaughterhouse and declared fit for human consumption. According to the Meat Control Act, slaughterhouses in Kenya are classified as either export or local. The latter is subdivided into categories A, B, and C depending on their daily capacity, land size and the area they are authorized to supply meat and meat products. Each export slaughterhouse, category A and B slaughterhouses require a minimum of three meat inspectors to carry out inspection of carcasses and offals. The Directorate of Veterinary Services is the main regulator in Kenya on matters concerning safety of meat at the slaughterhouses. The Director of Veterinary Services appoints meat inspectors and veterinary officers who are responsible for ascertaining the safety of meat and meat products from the slaughterhouses. The meat inspectors also verify that slaughter facilities, staff, processes and equipment conform to food safety requirements. Offals, like carcass meat, should be handled under utmost hygiene conditions to minimize contamination or excessive growth of microorganisms. The current practices in slaughterhouses is that each set of edible offals is packaged separately in either polythene bags, plastic containers, meat transport containers or carriers and dispatched to the market. In some instances, stomachs and intestines are packaged for dispatch together with the lungs and hearts for transportation to distances over 50 km in either refrigerated or non-refrigerated containers or carriers. Some of these practices could compromise the safety of the offals. In this paper, we review the challenges faced in maintaining safety of edible offals especially at the slaughterhouses, distributors and retailers level from regulators' point of view.

Estimated Prevalence of Tuberculosis in Ruminants from Slaughterhouses in Constantine Province (Northeastern Algeria): A 10-Year Retrospective Survey (2011–2020)

Tuberculosis (TB) is considered one of the most widespread and devastating zoonotic diseases in low-income countries, with a cosmopolitan distribution. The aim of this 10-year retrospective survey (from 2011 to 2020) was to determine the frequency of bovine, ovine, and goat tuberculosis in different local slaughterhouses across Constantine Province, Algeria. The control of livestock carcasses was systematically performed by veterinarian inspectors, after each stage of the slaughter process. The routine abattoir inspection included the detection of visible abnormalities on different organs and lymph nodes. The overall prevalence of tuberculosis recorded in slaughtered animals was 0.83%, with the following distribution among species: 2.73% in cattle, 0.001% in sheep, and 0.0% in goats. During the study period, there was a strong correlation (R = 0.82) (p < 0.01) between tuberculosis occurrence and the number of slaughtered cattle. Fluctuations in monthly TB prevalence ranged from 2% to 24.8% between 2018 and 2020, although there were no statistically significant correlations between infection and the age or gender of the animals, except for the year 2020 when a significantly higher (p = 0.017) percentage of TB cases were recorded in female cattle compared to male cattle. The average monthly weight of the confiscated livers and lungs ranged significantly (p ≤ 0.05) from 150 kg to 350 kg. The study results provide baseline data regarding livestock tuberculosis monitoring in the area of Constantine, Algeria, indicating that the disease incidence is not highly alarming, yet remains a serious public and animal health issue in the screened region.

Risk Management Options to Reduce Human Salmonellosis Cases Due to Consumption of Raw Poultry

Salmonella cases due to cross-contamination by, or consumption of, raw poultry continue to be a major public health concern. Processors have yet to identify an effective “kill step” in raw poultry production, and food safety interventions may target many compartments of the supply chain, from breeder and grandparent flocks to consumer cooking practices, complicating the prioritization of specific areas to effectively manage risk. Moreover, raw poultry can be contaminated by diverse Salmonella serovars, ranging from multidrug resistant Salmonella Infantis to pansusceptible Salmonella Kentucky sequence type 152, which has substantially reduced likelihood of causing human disease. “Farm-to-table” risk models help assess the public health impact of different Salmonella risk management strategies and thereby inform policy priorities. This article provides an overview of risk management practices that should be considered and evaluated in Salmonella risk assessments, including risk management strategies focusing on (i) preharvest; (ii) slaughter and further processing; (iii) consumer product handling; and (iv) regulatory approaches. Data and model needs to allow assessment of these risk management strategies are also discussed. The information presented here represents a critical step in ensuring that future Salmonella risk assessment and risk management efforts represent a comprehensive systems approach and consider all potential options for Salmonella risk reduction.

Robot Technology for Pork and Beef Meat Slaughtering Process: A Review.

Recently, many slaughterhouses have begun to introduce automation and quality evaluation sensing equipment to the slaughter processing line to overcome insufficient human resources, improve the efficiency of the slaughter process, and standardize meat quality. Various processing instruments and sensing technologies may be used depending on the livestock to be slaughtered, but a standardized process design for a smart slaughterhouse remains to be established. Slaughterhouses are becoming more industrialized, leveraging data collection and analysis to drive growth and increase production. Therefore, slaughterhouse automation is essential for meeting production demand, and an optimized design suitable for the size of each company is required to maximize economical equipment and systems. We introduce robot technology used in the slaughterhouse and detail the visceral laparotomy, carcass preprocessing, and deboning robot technology. In this study, we examine slaughterhouse automation equipment and technologies, focusing on optimizing the processing lines, the direction of application, and the hygiene of robot technique. We hope this review will provide insight into slaughterhouse automation for decision making in the slaughter industry.

JUAL BELI KULIT HEWAN KURBAN MENURUT HUKUM EKONOMI SYARIAH (Studi kasus Masjid At Taqwa, Sumberbulu, Tegalsiwalan, Probolinggo)

Carrying out sacrificial worship by slaughtering sacrificial animals after the implementation of Eid al-Adha and Tasyrik Day prayers is a form of embodiment of our taqwa to Allah SWT and of course with this we are bestowed blessings on the worship. in providing acceptance to the distribution of sacrificial meat, of course, it must be guided by the Qur'an and as Sunnah. The process of slaughtering sacrificial animals carried out by the At Taqwa Mosque, Sumberbulu Village, Tegalsiwalan District, is basically in accordance with the provisions of Islamic law, from the process of receiving sacrificial animals, the slaughter process, the distribution of sacrificial meat to the use of sacrificial animal skins to be worshipped. Buying and selling sacrificial animal skins is in accordance with the provisions of sharia economic law, one of the conditions is that the object of the contract must be valid or not something that is haramed by the Islamic religion.&#x0D; Keywords : Buying and Selling Sacrificial Animal Skins

Exploring potential risk pathways with high risk groups for urban Rift Valley fever virus introduction, transmission, and persistence in two urban centers of Kenya.

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a zoonotic arbovirus that has profound impact on domestic ruminants and can also be transmitted to humans via infected animal secretions. Urban areas in endemic regions across Africa have susceptible animal and human hosts, dense vector distributions, and source livestock (often from high risk locations to meet the demand for animal protein). Yet, there has never been a documented urban outbreak of RVF. To understand the likely risk of RVFV introduction to urban communities from their perspective and guide future initiatives, we conducted focus group discussions with slaughterhouse workers, slaughterhouse animal product traders, and livestock owners in Kisumu City and Ukunda Town in Kenya. For added perspective and data triangulation, in-depth interviews were conducted one-on-one with meat inspector veterinarians from selected slaughterhouses. A theoretical framework relevant to introduction, transmission, and potential persistence of RVF in urban areas is presented here. Urban livestock were primarily mentioned as business opportunities, but also had personal sentiment. In addition to slaughtering risks, perceived risk factors included consumption of fresh milk. High risk groups' knowledge and experience with RVFV and other zoonotic diseases impacted their consideration of personal risk, with consensus towards lower risk in the urban setting compared to rural areas as determination of health risk was said to primarily rely on hygiene practices rather than the slaughtering process. Groups relied heavily on veterinarians to confirm animal health and meat safety, yet veterinarians reported difficulty in accessing RVFV diagnostics. We also identified vulnerable public health regulations including corruption in meat certification outside of the slaughterhouse system, and blood collected during slaughter being used for food and medicine, which could provide a means for direct RVFV community transmission. These factors, when compounded by diverse urban vector breeding habitats and dense human and animal populations, could create suitable conditions for RVFV to arrive an urban center via a viremic imported animal, transmit to locally owned animals and humans, and potentially adapt to secondary vectors and persist in the urban setting. This explorative qualitative study proposes risk pathways and provides initial insight towards determining how urban areas could adapt control measures and plan future initiatives to better understand urban RVF potential.

Quantitative analysis of knowledge, attitude and practice of workers in chicken slaughter slabs toward food safety and hygiene in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

IntroductionIn low- and middle-income countries, chicken serves as a cheap source of protein and an income source for many households. It is particularly important in the capital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where chicken is regularly consumed. However, hygiene standards are very low, posing a significant public health risk.MethodsTo better understand the food safety situation, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of the hygienic practices of 155 randomly selected chicken slaughter outlets and carcass shops with a semi-structured questionnaire.Results and discussionOf the outlets visited, 59% are not licensed, and 63% are not regularly inspected, operating in the dominant, largely unregulated informal sector. More than 80% of the chickens are sourced from village production systems, but around 6% of the birds die during transport. The monetary loss due to chicken death during transportation is around four million USD annually. Market hygiene is poor; 86% of the holding pens have no hard floor and are not washed regularly. Almost all (92%) chickens are slaughtered on bare earth floors; bleeding, plucking, and evisceration are done on a wooden table that is rarely washed. On average, the same scalding water is used for 33 birds, seven scalded at a time. Most respondents (49%) thought that plucking and evisceration were the major cause of contamination of carcasses with foodborne pathogens. Most operators only washed their hands and knives with tap water at the beginning of the slaughtering process. Some shops use refrigerators and freezers to store carcasses before selling. However, they store carcasses with other foods like fish, beef and vegetables, facilitating further cross-contamination. There were rats (26%), cats (39%) and dogs (30%) present at outlets, roaming for food, especially roadside outlets. Training schemes on hygienic food handling practices were favoured by outlets as an approach to improve matters; however, improvements in food safety will be limited without significant upgrades in infrastructure and facilities. Slaughter slabs need a standard house with stable energy, adequate airflow, clean water, toilets, detergents and freezers. Also, they need equipment like knives, tables and dishes made of high-quality, easy-to-clean materials.