LPT 312: Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology (1+1)

HACCP CONCEPT TO IDENTIFY THE CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS

• With the gradual reduction in the incidence of animal tuberculosis in many countries along with the development of intensive methods of animal husbandry and the widespread use of pesticides and veterinary drugs, new problems are emerging. These are associated with residues on one hand and increased human infections with zoonotic agents contaminating animal foods on the other.
• There appears to be a general trend worldwide, with a few exceptions where human Salmonella infections have nearly doubled during the last five year period and human Campylobacter infections have nearly tripled during the same period.
• Other bacteria that are causing increasing concern as food contaminants are Yersinia spp. and Listeria spp. There is simultaneously a greater consumer expectation of a longer shelf life in the finished fresh meat product. All these factors suggest that in the practise of meat inspection, it would be advantageous to use the HACCP concept to identify the critical control points at which these bacterial groups and other spoilage organisms may contaminate the carcasses, so that appropriate action can be taken.