A qualitative risk assessment identified Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp. and ESBL/AmpC gene-carrying bacteria as the most relevant biological hazards in the context of meat inspection of poultry. As none of these are detected by traditional visual meat inspection, establishing an integrated food safety assurance system, achievable through improved food chain information (FCI) and risk-based interventions, was proposed. This includes setting targets at carcass level and, when appropriate, flock level indicating what should be achieved for a given hazard. Elements of the system would be risk categorisation of flocks based on FCI and classification of abattoirs according to their capability to reduce carcass faecal contamination. It is proposed that post-mortem visual inspection is replaced by setting targets for the main hazards on the carcass, and by verification of the food business operator"s hygiene management, using Process Hygiene Criteria. Chemical substances that might
SUMMARYFollowing a request from the European Commission to EFSA, the Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) and the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) were asked to deliver a Scientific Opinion on the public health hazards (biological and chemical, respectively) to be covered by inspection of poultry meat. Briefly, these Panels were asked to identify and rank the main risks for public health that should be addressed by meat inspection, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current meat inspection methodology, to recommend inspection methods fit for the purpose of meeting the overall objectives of meat inspection for hazards currently not covered by the meat inspection system, and to recommend adaptations of inspection methods and/or frequencies of inspections that provide an equivalent level of protection. In addition, the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) was asked to consider the implications for animal health and animal welfare of any changes proposed to current meat inspection methods. The three EFSA Panels presented the following key conclusions and recommendations:For biological hazards, a decision tree was developed and used for risk ranking poultry meat-borne hazards. The ranking was based on the magnitude of the human health impact, the severity of the disease in humans, the proportion of human cases that can be attributed to the handling, preparation and consumption of poultry meat, and the occurrence of the hazards in poultry flocks and carcasses. Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. were considered to be of high public health relevance for poultry meat inspection. Extended spectrum -lactamase (ESBL)/AmpC gene-carrying bacteria were considered to be of medium to high (E. coli), and low to medium (Salmonella) public health relevance. Data for ranking C. difficile were insufficient, but based on the limited information available, the risk at the present time was considered to be low. All other hazards were considered to be of low public health relevance.Risk ranking of chemical hazards was...