A comparison of two evisceration methods on hygienic quality in the pelvic area of sheep carcasses

A Comparative Study on Microbiological and Chemical Characteristics of Small Ruminant Carcasses from Abattoirs in Greece

Meat quality dictates consumer preferences with hygiene forming a key component, especially in meat types with declining popularity, such as sheep and goat meat. Aiming to increase the marketability of sheep and goat meat, we examined 370 sheep and goat carcasses from two abattoirs in Greece. Tests included enumeration of the total mesophilic viable count, total psychrophilic viable count and coliform count, and detection of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and presumptive ESBL Escherichia coli. Moreover, designated samples of meat were used to measure pH, moisture, total fat and protein content. Goat carcasses had significantly higher microbial counts compared to sheep carcasses. Lamb and kid carcasses had larger TMVC, TPVC and coliform counts compared to carcasses from adult animals. One strain of L. monocytogenes (0.8%), typed as serovar 1/2a (3a), was isolated from one adult sheep carcass. Twelve strains of ESBL Escherichia coli (25%) were isolated; there were not any strains of Salmonella spp. The average values of pH, moisture, total fat and total protein were 5.83%, 67.76%, 7.21% and 21.31%, respectively, for sheep carcasses and 5.70%, 68.2%, 5.69% and 24.10%, respectively, for goat carcasses. The results showed a small deviation in assessed parameters, implying the uniformity of the conditions concerning rearing and slaughtering.

Presence of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. in lamb meat commercialized in Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The aim of this study was to evaluate the hygienic-sanitary quality of lamb meat sold in the city of Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul (RS) by counting the indicator microorganisms and detecting pathogens such as Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Thirty-nine lamb meat samples were collected from 10 commercial establishments in Uruguaiana. The samples were subjected to counts of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms and enterobacteria, and to the detection of Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes, all following standard methods. The average counts of mesophilic microorganisms and enterobacteria were 6.08 log CFU/g (minimum 4.07 and max 6.87) and 4.73 log CFU/g (minimum 0 and max 5.88), respectively. For pathogens, L. monocytogenes was isolated from five samples (12.82%), with three samples in the same location. Only two samples (5.13%) were positive for Salmonella spp. The results demonstrated unsatisfactory hygienic-sanitary conditions because high counts of pathogens such as Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes. The counts of enterobacteria showed poor hygiene conditions during the various stages of production. The results also indicated fecal contamination, as Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes are present in the intestinal tract of both humans and animals. The high count of mesophilic microorganisms obtained could be owing to contaminated raw material or unsatisfactory processing, including unsanitary conditions and the inappropriate use of binomial time/temperature during storage.

Intact gastro-intestinal tract removal from pig carcasses in a novel Meat Factory Cell approach

Conventional automated slaughter lines for pigs are organised as disassembly lines with many specialised machines. High costs and capacities make them relevant only for large scale meat production. The ambition with the novel Meat Factory Cell (MFC) concept is to provide the meat industry with a robust and flexible automation platform that is also relevant for smaller scale production. The MFC process deviates radically from conventional processing of pig carcasses after singeing. In MFC, the limbs are removed first. Then the dorsal muscles along the spinal axis from tail to head are removed with the column and rind in one meat cut, followed by removal of the viscera. Finally, the cut ribs and belly are removed. Such approaches to automation in pig abattoirs and cutting plants are highly needed in smaller scale production, and they should produce meat and offal as hygienically as conventional factories. This case study reports the evisceration of 37 pigs in 9 trials performed in 2019. Several approaches were tested with a prototype carcass holding unit. Evisceration could be undertaken without the need to cut through the gastrointestinal tract from tongue to rectum, reducing the probability of accidental faecal contamination of pork carcasses from the gut content. The Meat Factory Cell procedure is an advance towards automated evisceration of pig carcasses which is both simple and hygienic. The traditional separation of internal organs into a pluck set and a set of stomach and bowels was more prone to leakages.