ANSCI 4205 – Meat Inspection Terminologies

A set of 37 vocabulary flashcards covering key meat-inspection terms and definitions from ANSCI 4205 lecture notes.

Abattoir

An establishment approved, registered or listed by the competent authority where specified animals are slaughtered and dressed for human consumption.

Ante-mortem inspection

Any procedure or test on live animals, carried out by a Veterinary Inspector or Meat Control Officer, to judge safety, suitability and disposition before slaughter.

Carcass

The body of an animal after dressing has removed hide, viscera and other non-carcass parts.

Competent Authority

The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) mandated by law to regulate meat hygiene and meat inspection for both domestic and imported meat.

Competent body

A body officially recognized and overseen by the competent authority to undertake specified meat-hygiene activities.

Competent person

An individual with the training, knowledge, skills and ability to perform an assigned task, under requirements set by the competent authority.

Condemned

Judged by a competent person or authority as unsafe or unsuitable for human consumption and therefore requiring disposal.

Contaminant

Any biological or chemical agent, foreign matter or substance not intentionally added to food that may compromise its safety or suitability.

Contamination

The introduction or occurrence of a contaminant in food or the food environment.

Disease or defect

Any abnormality in an animal or carcass that affects the safety and/or suitability of meat.

Disinfection

Use of chemical agents and/or physical methods to reduce microorganisms in the environment to levels that do not compromise food safety or suitability.

Dressing

The progressive separation of the body of an animal into a carcass and other edible and inedible parts.

Emergency slaughter

Immediate slaughter of an animal for meat hygiene, animal-welfare reasons, or to prevent disease spread.

Evisceration

Removal of the internal organs from the abdominal and thoracic cavities of a carcass.

Food hygiene

All conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food at all stages of the food chain.

Food safety

Assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when prepared and/or eaten according to its intended use.

Fresh meat

Meat that, apart from refrigeration or protective packaging, has not been treated for preservation and retains its natural characteristics.

Good Hygienic Practice (GHP)

All practices regarding conditions and measures necessary to ensure food safety and suitability throughout the food chain.

Inedible

Examined and judged by a competent person or authority as unsuitable for human consumption.

Inspection

Visual process of observation aimed at screening animals or carcasses that may require further examination.

Isolation pens

Special pens where animals are held separately from others to facilitate veterinary inspection or treatment.

Loading dock

A raised area level with a vehicle deck to facilitate easy loading of animals onto the vehicle.

Meat

All parts of an animal intended for, or judged safe and suitable for, human consumption.

Notifiable disease

A disease that must be reported to the competent authority when its existence is known or suspected.

Official inspector

A competent person appointed, accredited or recognized by the competent authority to perform official meat-hygiene activities.

Pathogen

A specific causative agent, usually a bacterium, that can produce disease.

Post-mortem inspection

Procedures or tests on all relevant parts of slaughtered animals, performed by a competent person to judge safety, suitability and disposition.

Post-stun convulsions

Uncontrollable physical or kicking activity of limbs after electrical or captive-bolt stunning.

Pre-slaughter handling

All handling of animals from their selection for slaughter on the farm up to the point of stunning at the abattoir.

Ready-to-eat (RTE) products

Products that are intended to be consumed without any further biocidal steps.

Safe for human consumption

Meat produced under all relevant food-safety requirements, meeting risk-based criteria and free of hazards at harmful levels.

Shackling / chain up

Coupling the hind limbs of a stunned animal with a chain or similar device to enable hoisting and sticking.

Sticking / exsanguination

Severance of major blood vessels in the neck or chest to bleed the animal.

Stockman / Stock handler

Anyone involved in the care, health and welfare of animals.

Veterinary inspector

An official inspector who is a qualified veterinarian authorized to carry out meat-hygiene activities.

Zoonosis / Zoonotic disease

An animal disease that can be transmitted to humans.

National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS)

The Philippine government agency that serves as the competent authority for regulating meat hygiene and inspection.

Sterilize

Use physical or chemical procedure to destroy all microbial life,including highly resistant bacterial endospores

Raw meat

fresh meat, minced meat or mechanically separated meat