Basic Hygiene, Red Meat Hygiene and Post Mortem Inspection

What is the primary method pathogens contaminate meat products in slaughter establishments?

In slaughter establishments, faecal/ingesta contamination of carcasses is the primary means of contamination with pathogens. Pathogens may reside in faecal/ingesta material, as well as in the gastrointestinal tract and on the exterior surfaces of the animal sent for slaughter.

• If little attention is given to the handling and dressing procedures during slaughter and processing, the edible portions of the carcass can become contaminated with bacteria capable of causing illness in humans. The microorganisms may be spread directly or indirectly from carcass to carcass.

What pieces of legislation cover protection of animals, hygiene and controls at slaughter?

• Describe the “hygiene package”.

• EC1099/2009 - Protection of Animal at the time of Slaughter

• ЕС 1/2005 - Protection of Animals during transport

• EC 852/2004 - Hygiene of foodstuffs

• EC 853/2004 - Hygiene of Foods of animal origin

• EC 2017/625 / 2019/627 - Official controls

**EC = European commission, still used despite BREXIT

What legislation covers the hygiene of all foodstuff?

EC Reg 852/2004 (H1)

• Hygiene of foodstuff

• Covers general hygiene rules

• Applies to all food businesses including FARMERS

852/2004 contains:

• General hygiene and structural requirements

• Specific structural requirement for rooms

• Hygiene requirements for transport

• Equipment requirements

• Handling of food waste

• Personal hygiene/Training

• Wrapping and packaging materials

• HACCP based principles

What legislation covers the hygiene of products that are ANIMAL ORIGIN?

EC Reg 853/2004 (H2)

• Covers specific hygiene rules for products of animal origin (POAO)

• Sets out registration and approval requirements for slaughterhouses

• Sets out food business operators' duties

• e.g. slaughter hygiene, cooling temperatures, transport, cutting plant hygiene, egg hygiene, collagen production, fisheries...

What piece of legislation covers the controls over officials considering meat, game and poultry?

EC Reg 625/2017

Official controls

• Covers the organisation of official controls for H1 & H2 on products of animal origin to protect:

• Public health

• Animal health

• Animal welfare

• Sets out the roles and responsibilities of them Competent Authority [in the UK the FSA/S & DARD (NI)]

• OV works for food standard scotland

• Role of officials in fresh meat, poultry meat and game meat premises (under Article 18 EC Reg 2019/627)

• Legislation comes at a pair

What regulations govern microbiological criteria?

• Regulation EC 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria - defines the maximum levels of certain bacteria that are acceptable at some level (The legal limit if you will)

• Samples are taken to determine contamination levels

• 'Micro-organisms' - definition - 'bacteria, viruses, yeasts, moulds, algae, parasitic protozoa, microscopic parasitic helminths and their toxins and metabolites'

• Requirements on FBO to ensure 'that the supply, handling and processing of raw materials and foodstuffs under their control are carried out in such a way that the process hygiene criteria are met...'

• 'Process hygiene criteria' = indicative contamination value above which corrective actions are required to maintain the hygiene of the process

What are the main regulatory bodies in regard to food safety?

(VIDEO)

What is legislation surrounding food safety trying to achieve?

There is an overriding need to minimise the risk of biological, chemical and physical hazards entering the food chain

Define the following:

• Risk

• Hazard

• Biological Hazard

• Chemical Hazard

• Physical Hazard

• Risk - the synthesis of two components 1. the probability of occurrence of an undesired event 2. the consequences or costs of this event (International Animal Health Code)

• Hazard - An agent which has the potential to cause harm

  • Biological Hazard - Organisms or organic matter produced by these organisms that are potentially harmful to health (e.g. bacteria, viruses, allergens etc.).

    • **Biggest risk regarding meat: e. coli, campylobacter, salmonella

  • Chemical Hazard - Chemical substances which have the potential to cause physical harm or harm to health (e.g. acid, bleach etc.)

  • Physical Hazard - Hard/sharp/choking hazards (e.g. stones, glass, plastic)

What are the main sources of carcass contamination?

• The integument - hide, skin, hair, fleece

• Contents of gastrointestinal tract

• Sticking point - where we introduce the knife for the first time

• Scalding tanks (pigs, poultry) - to remove the feathers or bristles

• Contact with abattoir structures - rails, floor, walls

• Line operatives - hands, aprons, equipment

• Meat inspection staff! - as above

• Equipment - knives, saws, hooks, hock cutters

• Slaughter hall environment - steam, condensation

• Vermin - mice, rats, birds, insects

What are the main features of an appropriate slaughterhouse design and facilities that maximize cleanliness?

• Efficient and hygienic operation

• Flow of product from DIRTY to CLEAN (no cross-over)

• Permit adequate maintenanc (personnel on site)

• Permit adequate cleaning and disinfection (dedicated C & D team)

• Protect against contamination (surfaces)

• Provide adequate working space (a challenge in UK)

• Permit good hygiene practices (training and implementation)

Summarize map - abattoir.

**Good - single species.

**Small - multi-species, greater chance for contamination

Who is responsible for developing safety management procedures in the abattoir?

The abattoir operator (FBO - 'Food Business Operator') is responsible for developing and implementing effective food safety management procedures

Use of Standard Operating Procedures - important for vet to come in and audit

Good manufacturing practice (GMP) and Good Hygiene Practice (GHP) = the cornerstones of hazard control systems on which HACCP systems are built.

• All abattoirs must have GMPs and SOPs in place to produce safe food

• The Official Veterinarian (OV) is present to independently verify the food safety management systems

What are the core GMPs in abattoirs?

• Maintenance program

• Cleaning program

• Potable water (water quality)

• Pest control

• Staff training program for hygiene

• Staff medical program

Why is red meat hygiene so important?

Food-poisoning organisms, biggest risk:

• Campylobacter spp.

• Salmonella spp.

• Vero-cytotoxin producing Escherichia coli 0157 (VTEC)

• Clostridium perfringens

• Listeria monocytogenes

What policy is in place to help reduce contamination of livestock via dirty pelts, fleece, etc?

Clean Livestock Policy - Published in September 1997 by the then Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) to improve hygiene standards following the fatal E.Coli 0157 outbreak in Scotland in 1996.

• Diet

• Bedding

• Clipping

• Wet

• Transport

• Mixing

Describe the different categories of cleanliness defined by the clean livestock policy.

CATEGORY 1 - CLEAN AND DRY

• Cattle in this category will be accepted for slaughter without any special treatment

• Dry

• Clean with regard to dung/dirt

• Very minor amounts of loosely adherent straw/bedding OK

CATEGORY 2 - SLIGHTLY DIRTY

• Cattle in this category will be accepted for slaughter without any special treatment

• Dry/damp

• Light contamination with dirt/dung

• Small amounts of loosely adherent straw/bedding OK

**CATEGORIES 3, 4, 5 are rejected unless process exist to correct

CATEGORY 3 - DIRTY

• Cattle in this category will be rejected for slaughter except in circumstances which are exceptional, e.g. animal welfare grounds, disease control reasons

• Dry/damp

• Significant contamination with dirt/dung and/or significant amounts of adherent straw/bedding

CATEGORY 4 - VERY DIRTY

• Cattle in this category will be rejected for slaughter except in circumstances which are exceptional e.g. animal welfare grounds, disease control reasons

• Dry/damp

• Heavily contaminated with dirt/dung

• Heavily matted and/or significant amounts of adherent bedding

CATEGORY 5 - FILTHY AND WET

• Cattle in this category will be rejected for slaughter

• Very wet, Very heavily contaminated with dirt/dung

• and/or very heavily matted

• and/or a lot of bedding adherent to the coat

**Standards exist for cows and sheep

Describe the general layout of slaughter lines for cattle.

Describe the general layout of slaughter lines for sheep.

What are the main hygiene aspects of slaughter/sticking step of the slaughter?

• Dirty equipment to be avoided - clean and sterilize (82 degrees Celsius)

• Technique - ensure 2 knife technique - cattle, one to open the skin (dirty knife), second knife to cut vessels (clean knife)

• Pigs and sheep - generally use a 1 knife sticking technique - contamination

• Effective training • Effective supervision

What is esophageal rodding and why is it important in the slaughter process?

• To control escape of GIT contents from oesophagus

• Free the oesophagus, then rubber ring or tie applied using a stainless steel rodder up the length of the oesophagus

• Sheep - oesophageal clips used more often; pigs - no sealing

• Must be in correct place - oesophageal-ruminal junction

• Failure = leakage = contamination of carcass

• Training and supervision

What is the importance of anal resection and tying in the slaughter process?

• "Bunging"

• Freed and tied or bagged with elastic band

• Protected rectum pushed down into the abdominal cavity

• Controls faecal leakage from anus

What are the important aspects of hide/fleece removal in the slaughter process?

• Physical process = biggest hazard on the line?

• Hand washing and equipment sterilisation between carcasses vital

• Mechanized system = better hygiene

• Use of plastic sheeting/clips to prevent hide touching exposed meat, to avoid the hide rolling inwards

• Roll out of hide/fleece - avoid contact with meat

What are the important aspects of evisceration in the slaughter process?

• One piece removal of abdominal organs (including bladder etc.

• Bursting = major contamination

• Pluck removal - lungs, trachea, heart

• Skilled removal required - operative training and attention to detail

What are the important aspects of washing the carcasses in the slaughter process?

• Aesthetic only - blood, bone dust

• NOT for contamination - must be trimmed with knife

• If you are washing contamination - you are spreading contamination

• Not a substitute for good hygienic practice

• Minimal water at low pressure

• Wash from top to bottom of the carcass

What are the important aspects of refrigeration and chilling carcasses in the slaughter process?

Major CCP

• Increases shelf life, slows spoilage

• Slows/prevents bacterial multiplication

• Surface drying and low temperatures inhibit bacterial growth

• Must have adequate facilities/capacity for throughput

• Ideally no contact between carcasses — spacing to allow air flow

What regulations guide the chilling temperatures used for carcasses?

EC Regulation 853/2004:

'Post-mortem inspection must be followed immediately by chilling in the slaughterhouse to ensure a temperature throughout the meat of not more than 3 °C for offal and 7 °C for other meat along a chilling curve that ensures a continuous decrease of the temperature!

What are some general rules for the personnel and practices during the slaughter process?

Skill and training - hygiene culture in the plant

Medical programme - are the workers a source of contamination?

Protective clothing - gloves, aprons, overalls

Use of wash basins/sterilisers

Personal hygiene - smoking, eating, spitting

Where do we do PMI for red meat?

ONE inspection point

Where do we do PMI for white meat?

TWO inspection points

WHO does PMI?

Authorized officers: official veterinarians (OVs) employed by food standards Scotland

• For poultry: Poultry Inspector Assistants, employed by 2 sisters food group (can work for the abattoir group) must be overseen by an OV

• For other meat: Meat Hygiene Inspection

What is the purpose of PMI?

The principal purpose of post-mortem inspection is to supplement ante- mortem inspection and to detect:

• diseases of public health significance

• diseases of animal health significance - or to tell farmer to help improve animal health

• residues or contaminants in excess of the levels allowed by legislation

• the risk of non-visible contamination

• other factors which might require the meat to be declared unfit for human consumption or restrictions to be placed on its use

• visible lesions that are relevant to animal welfare such as beating or long standing untreated injuries

What are the key legislative principles underpinning PMI?

EC 2019/627 Chapter || Section 3 Article 12,13,14

• Inspect all carcases and accompanying offal without delay

• Keep correlation of carcasses and offal

• Must be carried out ASAP

• Minimal handling

• Pace must allow for recording of findings

• Particular attention on zoonoses and notifiable diseases

The inspection procedures depend on what factors?

Depends on:

- Species

- Age

- Indications of risk to human or animal health (FCI, AMI (including Animal Welfare compromise), PMI, Epidemiological Data, Data from the farm, other animals in the same batch.)

During the inspection procedure: what organs are inspected?

Major organs and lymph nodes

What are the main compulsory inspection for pigs?

VISUAL only

• Only need to palpate or incise if indication of risk

What are the main compulsory inspection for sheep UNDER 12mo and goats under 6mo?

VISUAL only

• Only need to palpate or incise if indication of risk

What are the main compulsory inspection for sheep OVER 12mo/ Goats over 6mo?

VISUAL PLUS
**Only need further palpation and incisions if indication of risk

What are the main compulsory inspection for cattle OVER 8mo?

VISUAL PLUS

• Looking for cysticercus bovis (human tapeworm)

• Heart - for endocarditis - accesses throughout body

• Lymph nodes - looking for TB

• **Only need further palpation and incisions if indication of risk

There are extra rules for inspection regarding what specific hazards?

If the carcass is FIT for human consumption, what steps occur next?

• What other outcomes may occur?

Outcomes of PMI:

• FIT - health mark applies

• PARTIALLY UNFIT: part carcass/offal disposed and rest is health marked

• DETAINED: No health marking, further investigation is required, off-line detention facilities

  • Carcass is detained for a period of time, for example if medication used not outside of WP, or has systemic disease

  • Allowed to “set” for 24 hours, if edematous and not stiff after, likely has systemic disease

• UNFIT: FBO is asked to voluntary surrender, official veterinary control, must keep correlation, all body parts must be disposed (Condemned)

  • Clear signs of systemic disease or sepsis, therefore inedible, very rare to get a clearly sick animals reaching this point of slaughter process

Where are the fit for human consumption and health marks stamped on meat?

AMI + PMI = Health Mark (Saying animal has passed both inspections and is fit for human consumption)

• VIDEO