Assessment of hygiene of slaughter and distribution of bushmeat in Zogbodomey municipality

Abstract

Bushmeat production process influences its quality. The objective of the study is to take stock of the hygiene of slaughter and distribution of bushmeat in southern Benin. Therefore, data on the bushmeat production process were collected and analyzed for wild species slaughtered or captured in the village of Tègon. It has been found that except for snakes and ruminants, two types of bushmeat production schemes were used according to the practices identified by category of wild species: small mammals and birds. The first type (Practice 1) was done without application of fresh blood to carcasses and the second one (Practice 2) was characterized by application of fresh blood to carcasses just after evisceration. Tools used by operators in general were poorly maintained from the hygienic point of view. No operator had a specific location suitable for storing tools. Operators did not wear mufflers, clean gloves, clean clothes and appropriate footwear. The state of animal health also remained unknown to all these operators. There was no cleaning and disinfection program for processing areas and work tools. Forward movement was not practiced at any meat processing station. Among the respondents, 3.16% did not wash carcasses, 46.88% did it poorly (with dirty water or water already used) and 50% did it unsufficiently (with very little water). Blood applied to carcasses was not cleaned by 3.13% of respondents, poorly cleaned (with dirty water) by 40.63% and unsufficiently cleaned with a little water by 56.25%. The study shows that in Tègon, the bushmeat production process is not hygienic and measures must be taken to protect the health of consumers.