Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology

HISTORICAL APPROACH OF MEAT INSPECTION

• Since long various civilizations developed through the world has attained importance to the source of handling of his meat supply.
• As per the Old Testament it says,”And Ye Shall be Holy Men unto Me, neither Shall Ye eat only Flesh that is torn of beast in the field, Ye Shall cast it is the dogs”.
• As per the Jewish Holy book “Talmud” there are definitions for “Terepha”- under or unfit meat and “Kosher” clean or fit meat.
• The inspection of meat was done everyday during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries in the city of Florence. They insisted that all butchers should annually renew their licences and pledge themselves to observe the law of the land. These laws prohibited many kinds of fraudulent practices and unsanitary practices. These pattern of meat control paved way for improvement in the science of meat and hygiene.
• Gradually the system of meat inspection improved and enlarged to various aspects.
• Whenever there are epidemics in the country serious investigation are conducted which in most of the time indicated that the etiology of these diseases are due to the consumption of unwholesome meat and meat products.
• When public realised the reasons they also realised the importance of wholesome and hygienic production of meat for human consumption.

The meat inspection is done to produce

• Wholesome meat
• Meat from healthy animals,
• Meat by carrying out humane slaughter and
• Meat with hygienic handling and its proper disposal.

The following factors have to be controlled for safeguarding a country’s meat supply and diligent implementation of legislation relating to meat inspection

• The use of chemical and pharmaceutical preparation on the farm.
• The promotion of high health standards in livestock and their general care during transportation, at auction markets and in meat plant lairages.
• Ante–mortem examination to eliminate unfit animals and to make provision for special post-mortem examination to eliminate unfit animals.
• Post-mortem of the carcass and offal immediately after slaughter including laboratory testing where necessary.
• Removal of material unfit for human consumption and its efficient destruction at processing plants located outside the meat plant.
• High standards of hygiene at all stages from the farm to the meat plant, meat processing factory, cold store, restaurant kitchen and the consumer’s home.

Requisites for conducting efficient meat inspection

• For uniform set of rules throughout the country
• For uniform teaching of meat inspection
• For uniform practice
• To have well constructed slaughterhouse with all amenities
• To provide system of licensing for people who want to slaughter the animals.