Gracey's Meat Hygiene

About the Editors David S. Collins, MVB, DVPH(MH), MRCVSFormally City Veterinarian for Belfast, he has served as a Member of Northern Ireland Food Standards Advisory Committee as well as on the Meat Hygiene Advisory Committee of the UK Food Standards Agency. His work has involved forensic investigation for the Ministry of Defence and insurance companies; advising veterinary pharmaceutical companies regarding adverse reactions, product registration and clinical trials; and advising the government on animal experimentation including clinical trials for veterinary pharmaceuticals. He is a former Chief Examiner for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in Veterinary Public Health, UK, and was Consultant Editor for Northern Ireland Veterinary Today. Robert J. Huey, TD, MVB, DVPH(MH), MRCVSRobert is Chief Veterinary Offi cer in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland (DARDNI) veterinary service. He is currently Vice President of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe and a past President of the Union of European Veterinary Hygienists. He is also a former President of the Veterinary Public Health Association and was Chief Examiner in Veterinary Public Health for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, 1998–2010.

• Contributors xiPreface xiiiAcknowledgements xv1 The food animals 1Dietary factors 2World livestock production 3UK meat plants and throughputs 4Cattle 4Breeds 4Systems of beef production 6Growth promoters 7Definitions 7Sheep 7Definitions 9Pigs 10Pig breeds 10Pig breeds in the United Kingdom 11Pig production 11Pig meat production 13Glossary of terms 13Additional facts 13Goats 13Poultry 14Definitions 14Rabbits 15Deer 16Handling of deer 17References 17Further reading 17Form animal welfare council 172 Anatomy 19Descriptive terms 19Osteology and arthrology 19Bones 19Digestive system 21Tongue 21Stomach 22Mucous membranes 22Intestines 23Liver 24Pancreas (gut sweetbread) 25Respiratory system 26Lungs 26Pluck 26Circulatory system (heart, arteries, capillaries and veins) 26Heart 26Portal circulation 27Spleen (melt) 27Lymphatic system 28Haemal lymph nodes 28Lymph nodes of the ox 29Nodes of the head and neck 30Nodes of the chest and forequarter 30Nodes of the abdomen and hindquarter 31Lymph nodes of the pig 33Head and neck 33Other nodes 33Urogenital system 34Urinary organs 34Genital organs 34Kidney 34Reproductive system 34Uterus 34Udder 36Endocrine system 36Thymus 36Adrenal (suprarenal) bodies 36Testicles (testes) 37Collection and yield of glands 37Skin 37Horns 37Muscular system 37Connective tissue 38Fat 38Determination of age by dentition 38Teeth 38Determination of sex 39Cattle 39Sheep 40Pigs 41Horse and ox differentiation 41Debasement of food(adulteration and substitution) 41Food tampering 43References 43Further reading 433 Meat establishment construction and equipment 45Site 45Environmental statement 45Submission of plans 46Area size 46Facilities 47Equipment design 50Pest control 51Small abattoir units 51Lairage 52Cattle lairage 52Sheep lairage 52Pig lairage 52Deer lairage 53Clipping or cleaning of livestock 53Manure disposal 53Slaughterhall 53Stunning area 53Bleeding area 54Cattle carcase dressing 54On-the-rail dressing 55Sheep slaughterhall 56Pig slaughterhall 57Singeing and scraping 58Refrigeration accommodation 58Detained meat room 59Condemned meat room 60Hide and skin store 60Gut and tripe room 60Red offal room 60The edible fat room 61Cutting rooms 61Equipment wash 61Fresh meat dispatch area 61Vehicle washing 62General amenities for personnel 62Veterinary office 62Treatment of effluent 62Pollution parameters 63Treatment 63Preliminary treatment: Screening, solids and grit removal 63Secondary treatment 64Further reading 654 Preservation of meat 67Physical changes in stored meat 67Chemical changes in stored meat 68Water activity or water availability (aw ) 68Meat curing 68Salt 68Ingredients used in curing 69Production of bacon and ham 69Cutting 70Application of the pickle 70Production of cooked hams 71Traditional dry-cured bacon 71Alternative dry cure 71Smoking 71Common defects in cured meat 71Micro-organisms on cured product 72Refrigeration 72Mechanical refrigeration 72Chilling of meat 73Freezing of meat 75Freeze-drying or lyophilisation 76Storage of fresh meat 76Vacuum packing 76Modified atmosphere packing 76Refrigerated meat transport and storage 76Changes in frozen meat 77‘Weeping’ or ‘drip’ 77Durability of frozen meat 78Effect of freezing on pathogenic micro-organisms and parasites 78Heat: Thermal processing 78Traditional canning methodology 79Treatment of food to be canned 79Canning operations 80Canning of meats 82Foods packed in glass 82Spoilage in canned foods 82Types of spoilage 83The public health aspect of canned foods 85Other methods of meat preservation 86Antioxidants 86Preservatives 86Irradiation 86Infrared radiation 86Ultraviolet radiation 86Ionising radiation 86High pressure 87References 87Further reading 885 Plant sanitation 89Reasons for cleaning and disinfecting plant 89‘Scotoma effect’ or ‘factory-blindness’ 90The chemistry of cleaning 90The soil 91The substrate: Materials of construction 91Energies of cleaning 92Chemical and physical reactions of cleaning 92Detergents: Design and choice 95Principles of disinfection 95Biocidal active components 95Disinfectants: Design and choice 97Hygiene equipment and application methods 97Manual cleaning 98Foam cleaning 98Foam and disinfectant application equipment 98Gels 99Spray 100Fogging 100Knife and cutting tool disinfection during processing 100Machine washing 102Cleaning-in-place (CIP) 102Rinse systems 104Contamination and re-contamination 105Air 105Water 106People 106Surfaces 106Cleaning procedures 106The cleaning sequence 106Monitoring of hygiene 108Training 110Safety 110Effluent and external odour control 110Conclusion 111Note 111References 1126 From farm to slaughter 113Production of clean, healthy livestock 113Clean livestock 115Healthy livestock 117Safe use of animal medicines 117Safe disposal of animal waste 117Animal welfare on the farm 119Assessment of an animal’s welfare 119Transportation of livestock 122Loading and unloading 122The journey to slaughter 123EU transport legislation 123Protection during transport 123Means of transport 123Space allowances 123Duties of transporters 123Feed, water and rest periods 123Treatment of sick animals 124Travel documentation 124Loss of weight during transport 124Transport mortality 125Lairage construction 126Animal husbandry in the lairage 127Moving animals within the lairage 127Social stress 128Watering 128Fasting 128Resting of animals prior to slaughter 129Pre-slaughter handling and meat quality 129Stress and the animal 129Stress and meat quality 130Pre-slaughter feeding of sugars 131Traumatic injury 131Time of bruising 131Rough handling 132Presence of horns 132Temperament 132Stunning box design 132Mixing of animals 133Breed 133Incentives and education 133References 133Further reading 1347 Humane slaughter 135Pre-slaughter handling/restraint 136Cattle movement and restraint 136Pig movement and restraint 137The slaughtering process 137Assessment of unconsciousness atslaughter 137Methods of stunning 138Percussive stunning 138Head sites for percussive stunning 140Water jet stunning 142Carbon dioxide and other gas mixtures 142Electrical stunning 144Effect of stunning on meat quality 146Slaughter of minor species 146Slaughter of deer 146Slaughter of ostriches 147Slaughter of rabbits 147Other methods of slaughter 147Slaughter of poultry 148Electrical stunning of poultry 148Assessment of unconsciousness inelectrical water bath stunned poultry 149Stunning/killing poultry with controlled atmospheres 149Percussive stunning of poultry 150Other methods of slaughter 150Effects of stunning on poultry meat quality 150Pithing 150Bleeding 151Cattle 151Sheep 151Pigs 152Efficiency of bleeding 153Slaughter without pre-stunning 153Shechita – Jewish religious slaughter 153Muslim methods of slaughter 156Slaughter of poultry without stunning 157References 157Further reading 1588 Meat hygiene practice 159Meat and animal by-products 159Hygienic production 159Sources of contamination 159Outer integument – hide, hair, fleece or skin 159Gastrointestinal tract 160Stunning and sticking 160Physical contact with structures 160Operatives 160Equipment and utensils 161The slaughter hall environment 161Vermin and pests 161Chemical contamination 162Methods of reducing contamination 162Dealing with the dirty animal 162Clipping cattle on line 163Protecting the meat from the worker 163Good hygiene practice 165Layout and flow lines 167Dressing techniques – Removal of hide/fleece/hair 167Preventing contamination from the gastrointestinal tract 170Post-slaughter decontamination 172Water 172Trimming 173Chemical treatments 173Bacteriophages 174Ultraviolet and pulsed high-intensity light 174Outputs of the slaughterhouse 174Treatment of edible co-products 175Fats 175Edible fat rendering 176Stomach and intestines 176Bones 177Hides and skins 177Animal by-products 178Category 1 178Category 2 179Category 3 (can be used for pet food) 180Materials for technical uses 181Hygiene requirements for animal by-product processing establishments 183Rendering processes 183References 1849 Meat inspection protocols 185The case for change 185The holistic approach 187Integrated Food Safety Assurance 187Farm to fork 187Food chain information 187Ante-mortem inspection 188Ante-mortem inspection procedure in the slaughter establishment 189Practical ante-mortem procedure 190Emergency slaughter animals 191Emergency slaughter: The decision on farm 191Emergency slaughter: The decisionat the slaughter establishment 192Post-mortem inspection 192Facilities for post-mortem inspection 192Carcase identification and traceability 193Traditional post-mortem inspection 194Traditional post-mortem inspection of cattle 194Traditional post-mortem inspection of calves 196Traditional post-mortem inspection of sheep and goats 196Traditional post-mortem inspection of pigs 196Traditional post-mortem inspection of equines 197Traditional post-mortem inspection of poultry 197Decisions at post-mortem examination 198Common post-mortem findings 203Abscesses 203Omphalophlebitis 204Arthritis 204Oedema 204Pneumonia and pleurisy 205Endocarditis 206Pericarditis 207Pyelonephritis 207Bruising 208Pigmentation 208Haematogenous pigments 209Bile pigments 209Porphyrin 210Lipofuscin (‘wear-and-tear pigment’, pigment of brown atrophy, lipochrome, haemofuscin) 211Xanthosis (xanthomatosis, osteohaematochromatosis, brown atrophy) 211Tumours 211Classes of tumours 212Causes of tumours 212Effect on host 212Nomenclature of neoplasms 212Judgement of neoplasia 213Poor condition/emaciation 213Contamination 215Parasitic conditions 215Ascaris suum 215Echinococcus granulosus: Hydatidosis and hydatid cyst 215Taenia hydatigena (known as Cysticercus tenuicollis in larval stage) 216Taenia ovis (previously known as Cysticercus ovis) 216Fasciola hepatica: Liver fluke 216Paramphistomiasis 216Sarcocystis 216Courses of action 217Utilisation of post-mortem data 218Control of hygienic production 218Hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) 219Implementation of an HACCP system 219Worldwide food safety standards 221References 222Further reading 22210 Poultry production, slaughter and inspection 223Production of poultry 223Poultry feedingstuffs 225Poultry flock health 226Catching and crating 226Reception and unloading 227Pre-slaughter inspection 228Shackling 228Stunning and slaughter 229Scalding and defeathering 230Defeathering 231Evisceration 232Chilling 235Ante-mortem health inspection 237Post-mortem inspection in the plant 240Decision of the official veterinarian at the post-mortem inspection 241General contamination 242Guidelines on trimming poultry 242Coliform infections 243Salmonellosis 243Campylobacteriosis 244Chlamydiosis (psittacosis/ornithosis) 245Miscellaneous conditions 245Dead on arrival 245Bruising and fractures 245Breast blisters and hock burn 246Ascites 246Slaughter liver or cholangiohepatitis 246Fatty liver haemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) 246Vices 246Contamination 247Decomposition 247Barking 247Diseases of the female reproductive system 247Oregon disease 247Over-scald 247Fevered carcases 247Septicaemia 247Insufficient bleeding 247Emaciation 247Viscera absent 247References 248Further reading 24811 Exotic meat production 249Rabbits 249Slaughter 249Inspection 250Post-mortem judgements in rabbit meat inspection 250Zoonoses 251Guidelines on contamination, missing viscera and trimming 252Farmed deer 252Handling and slaughter 252Park deer 254Wild deer 254Killing 254Ostriches 255Restraint 256Stunning 256Dressing 256Changes after slaughter 257Commercial squab production 257Further reading 25712 Food poisoning and meat microbiology 259Part 1: Food poisoning 259Types of food poisoning 259Surveillance of food poisoning 259Laboratory reports of enteric infections 260Outbreak surveillance 261General considerations 261Food-borne pathogens 261Part 2: Meat microbiology 267Bacteriological examination of carcases 267Part 3: Meat decomposition and spoilage 271Assessment of decomposition 277Further reading 27813 Controls on veterinary drug residues in the European Union 279Legal framework 279Licensed veterinary medicines 279Hormones and ß-Agonists 280Prohibited compounds 280Unauthorised and unlicensed compounds 281Regulatory limits: MRLs, MRPLs and RPAs 281The National Residue Control Plan in EU member states 282Compound groups 282Sampling levels for each species 282Relationship between species and substance to be analysed 283Testing procedures and performance characteristics 284Testing procedures 284CCα and CCβ 285Sampling of imported food 285Legal basis for sampling of imports from third countries 285Frequency of sampling of imports from third countries 285Interpretation of non-compliant results 285The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) 285Legal basis and description of the RASFF 285RASFF notification types 286Notification basis 286Action taken 286Distribution status 286Actions taken following infringements 286Analytical methods: Technical aspects 287Method specificity 287Performance characteristics 288Method validation 288Proficiency testing 289References 28914 Health and safety in meat processing 291Accident statistics 291UK legislation 291General duties 292Key topics requiring risk assessment 293Being struck by hand toolsincluding knives 293Musculoskeletal disorders 294Slips, trips and falls 298Contact with machinery 298Transport 301Falls from a height 301Substances/microorganisms 302Zoonoses 303Specific control measures for zoonoses 303Animals 310Noise 310Cold environment 311General requirements 312References 316Index 319

"The 11th edition of Gracey's Meat Hygieneis a hardcover textbook that will be an excellent, practical reference for slaughterhouse veterinarians, food safety inspectors, and meat industry personnel. This book provides a comprehensive introduction for readers new to the fields of slaughter and meat safety, although it is likely to be even more valuable to readers with some experience in those fields." (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 15 September 2015)"The previous edition, published in 1999, was well respected as a reference text. The 11th edition provides all those involved in the farm to fork chain, particularly farmers and their veterinary practitioners, veterinary public health practitioners, meat inspectors and those working in the industry, a definitive description of meat hygiene standards as it stands today." (Veterinary Record, 2016)