Abattoir Hygiene

Abstract

Abattoirs have important role in surveillance, control, and eradication of diseases of animal health importance, as well as control, reduction, and prevention of foodborne hazards of public health importance. To achieve control and prevention of crosscontamination of carcasses and meat with foodborne hazards, the abattoir hygiene should be applied throughout the slaughter and dressing, up to the chilling of carcasses. This is based on strict adherence to good hygiene practices and the overall hygiene requirements at abattoir, named prerequisite programs (layout and design of production facility, equipment, tools, ventilation, trained workers), supplemented with risk-based food safety management system (hazard analysis and critical control point) and chilled carcass safety assurance system in the farmabattoir continuum. Therefore abattoir hygiene has an important impact on final microbiological status of chilled carcass, as well as prevention and minimization of consumers exposure to foodborne hazards associated with meat consumption.