Global reports on illnesses and deaths related to food consumption continue to raise concern in most countries. This has led to diligent efforts to improve the manner in which food is handled. Hygienic handling of carcasses after slaughter is critical in preventing contamination and ensuring meat safety in both formal and informal meat trading sectors. However, in the informal sector, regulations as prescribed in the Meat Safety Act No. 40 of 2000, which have been set to protect consumer health, are not always adhered to. Although these regulations are put into practice in the formal sector, meat safety challenges associated with meat handling during distribution continue to raise concern. The distribution stage is the most critical period, during which the quality of meat can easily be compromised. Furthermore, meat inspection at the abattoir covers only visual assessment, without considering microbiological tests. Meeting food safety requirements set by government regulations remains a challenge to almost all food processors. This paper reviews the impact of post-slaughter handling on carcass quality and its implications for meat safety during the distribution stage in the formal and informal sectors in South Africa. It also details how meat handling in the informal meat trade exposes consumers to high health risks and recommends that governments create legislation that would be applicable to carcasses produced in the informal sector to align this sector with the regulations governing food production. ______________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________ AbstractIn this study the effect of transport method on bruising, ultimate pH (pH u ) and colour of beef (L* = lightness, a* = redness and b* = yellowness) was determined. Cattle transported directly from farms had the highest bruise scores, pH u and the lowest L* values. There were significant correlations between pH u and L*, a* and b* values, (r = -0.45, r = -0.59 and -0.55, respectively), pH u and bruise score (r = 0.34), and L* and bruise score (r = -0.24). There were positive relationships between transport distance and pH u and between distance and bruise score, while the relationship between L* and distance was negative. Percentage of bruised carcasses varied with method of transport: Group 1, 41.1%; Group 2, 63.1% and Group 3, 51.1%. Transport method affected bruising, pH u and colour of beef. ________________________________________________________________________________

A study was conducted to determine the perceptions of rural meat consumers and traders on meat quality and how the welfare of slaughter cattle affects beef quality. The study focused on three stages: Prior to purchase, at point of purchase and at point of consumption. A total of 102 rural consumers and 31 meat traders were conveniently sampled and used in the study. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation (PCA) were conducted in order to identify the underlying structure of the items used for measuring evaluations of animal welfare issues, expected eating quality and determinants of purchasing decisions, while the CALIS procedure was used to analyze the structural relationships. With regards to consumers, estimated relationships showed significant association between the visual quality items and the perceived beef quality with regards to the meat traders; weak and negative relationships existed between visual quality indicators and perceived beef quality. This means that product quality can be accurately inferred from the consumers who are the purchasers and end users of the meat products. Significant negative realationships existed between the cattle rearing methods component and the items covered by the animal handling at abattoir component, meaning that the meat traders believe that cattle handling at the abattoir are at variance with the way the cattle are reared at the farm, and therefore this could have an effect on meat quality. Principal component analysis also showed that quality of beef and purchase motives followed a one-dimensional concept for both the consumers and meat, meaning that they perceived quality of beef is associated with price, packaging, place of slaughter and butcher reputation. It was conluded that consumers and meat traders have convergent perceptions on the animal welfare issues and meat qiality aspects of beef.