Assessment of Microbiological Load of Small Ruminant Carcasses, Livers, Some Lymph Nodes, Tools and Knife Samples in Slaughterhouse

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the microbiological loads of small animal carcasses, carcass lymph nodes, whole liver surface, liver lymph nodes and some tools contacting with carcass and offal. Total 630 samples taken from small animal carcasses, livers, hepatic lymph nodes, subiliac and prescapular lymph nodes, staff knives and slaughterhouse tools samples (stainless steel table, plastic crates, offal carts) were investigated for mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli counts and Salmonella spp. The mean total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TAMB), Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli numbers of the carcasses were 3.6, 0.6, and 0.1 log10 CFU/cm2 , respectively, and the most contaminated region among the carcass sampling points was flank. The mean TAMB, Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli counts of the liver surfaces were 6.0, 3.7, 2.9 log10 CFU/liver, respectively. The average TAMB, Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli numbers of the knives were found as 6.3, 2.9 and 2.1 log10 CFU/blade, and the average TAMB, Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli counts of the slaughterhouse surfaces were 5.1, 1.6, 0.5 log10 CFU/cm2. Salmonella spp. was detected in 4% of the liver samples and 10% of the knives samples. Consequently, the presence of Salmonella on the surface of livers and blades, and high number of E. coli on the livers, blades and tools show that a public health risk may arise at any time, and staff should pay extra attention to the “Good Hygiene Practices” and Food Safety Management Systems (such as HACCP) applied in slaughterhouses.Key words: carcass; liver; lymph node; microbiological quality; Enterobacteriaceae; Escherichia coli; Salmonella spp.OCENA MIKROBIOLOŠKE OBREMENITVE TRUPOV MALIH PREŽVEKOVALCEV, JETER IN NEKATERIH BEZGAVK TER ORODIJ IN NOŽEV V KLAVNICIPovzetek: Namen študije je bil določiti mikrobiološko obremenitev trupov malih živali, bezgavk na trupih, celotne površine jeter, jetrnih bezgavk in nekaterih orodij, ki prihajajo v stik s trupom ter drobovjem. Pregledanih je bilo 630 vzorcev trupel malih živali, jeter, bezgavk, jetrnih bezgavk, nožev in orodij za klavnice (mize iz nerjavečega jekla, plastični zaboji, zaboji za drobovino). Ugotavljali smo prisotnost mezofilnih aerobnih bakterij, Enterobacteriaceae ter število bakterij Escheria coli in Salmonella spp. Povprečna skupna količina aerobnih mezofilnih bakterij (TAMB), Enterobacteriaceae in E. coli je bila 3,6, 0,6 in 0,1 log10 CFU/cm2. Najbolj onesnaženo področje pri vzorčenju trupov je bilo na boku trupov. Povprečno število TAMB, Enterobacteriaceae in E. coli na površinah jeter je bilo 6,0, 3,7 in 2,9 log10 CFU/jetra. Povprečno število TAMB, Enterobacteriaceae in E. coli na nožih je bilo 6,3, 2,9 in 2,1 log10 log10 CFU/rezilo, povprečno število TAMB, Enterobacteriaceae in E. coli na klavniških površinah pa 5,1 in 1,6, 0,5 log10 CFU/cm2. Salmonello spp. smo odkrili v 4 odstotkih vzorcev jeter in na 10 odstotkih nožev. Prisotnost salmonele na površini jeter in rezil ter veliko število bakterij E. coli na jetrih, rezilih in orodju kažejo na to, da te bakterije lahko predstavljajo tveganje za javno zdravje. Osebje bi moralo dodatno pozornost nameniti „dobri higienski praksi “in sistemom upravljanja varne hrane (na primer HACCP), ki se uporablja v klavnicah.Ključne besede: trup zaklanih živali; jetra; limfni vozli; mikrobiološko onesnaženje; Enterobacteriaceae; Escheria coli; Salmonella spp.