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Approaches to Meat Safety

Longitudinal Studies of Total Viable Counts on Pig Skin Surface Along the Slaughter Process by Using a Modified Agar Contact Method

Authors
  • Roland Fürstenberg (Free University of Berlin)
  • D. Meemken (Freie Universität Berlin)
  • Susann Langforth (Free University of Berlin)
  • Julia Große-Kleimann (University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation)
  • Lothar Kreienbrock (University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation)
  • Nina Langkabel (University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation)

Abstract

During pig slaughter, a risk of carcass contamination, recontamination and cross-contamination exists at multiple processing steps and forms a hazard for consumer health. Thus, monitoring of contamination levels of each carcass at various processing stages is useful to identify responsible processes for increasing microbiological loads (Moura-Alves et al. 2022). Microbiological investigations, as defined in the European Reg. (EC) No 2073/2005 enable the control of process hygiene during slaughtering (EFSA 2007). The aim of the study was to analyze the total viable count (TVC) of aerobic mesophilic bacteria on fattening pig skin and carcass surfaces along the slaughter process in a longitudinal manner from lairage to the end of the slaughter process by using a new sampling technique.

Keywords: swine, microbiological load, abattoir

How to Cite:

Fürstenberg, R., Meemken, D., Langforth, S., Große-Kleimann, J., Kreienbrock, L. & Langkabel, N., (2023) “Longitudinal Studies of Total Viable Counts on Pig Skin Surface Along the Slaughter Process by Using a Modified Agar Contact Method”, SafePork 14(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/safepork.16356

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Published on
2023-05-15

Peer Reviewed