Microbiological contamination of cattle and pig carcasses at five abattoirs determined by swab sampling in accordance with EU Decision 2001/471/EC

• Published in: Meat science 2005-03, Vol.69 (3), p.559-566
• Main Authors: Zweifel, C., Baltzer, D., Stephan, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal productions; beef carcasses; Biological and medical sciences; Cattle and pig carcasses; Common Agricultural Policy; Decision 2001/471/EC; Enterobacteriaceae; food contamination; Food industries; food pathogens; food sanitation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; good manufacturing practices; HACCP; Meat and meat product industries; microbial contamination; microbial detection; Performance criteria; pig carcasses; plate count; quality control; slaughterhouses; Terrestrial animal productions; Total viable counts; Vertebrates; viability; Wet–dry double swab technique
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2004.10.007

A total of 800 cattle carcasses (abattoir A: n=200; B: n=150; C: n=150; D: n=150, E: n=150) and 650 pig carcasses (abattoir A: n=200; B: n=150; C: n=150; D: n=150) were examined at five Swiss abattoirs with an annual slaughtering capacity >10 million kg. Weekly, 10 cattle and 10 pig carcasses were sampled at four sites by the wet–dry double swab technique. From each carcass the samples were pooled and examined for total viable counts (TVC) and Enterobacteriaceae. At the abattoirs, mean log TVCs from cattle carcasses ranged from 2.1 to 3.1 cm−2 and those from pig carcasses from 2.2 to 3.7 cm−2. Daily TVC mean log values showed significant differences between abattoirs (P