Microbiological conditions during the slaughter process at a municipal slaughterhouse in Hidalgo, Mexico

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JAVIER CASTRO ROSAS
SAGRARIO HERNÁNDEZ SANJUAN
ALMA DELIA ROMÁN GUTIÉRREZ
IRAÍS SÁNCHEZ ORTEGA
EVA MARÍA SANTOS LÓPEZ
ARMIDA ZÚÑIGA ESTRADA

Abstract

THIS STUDY DETERMINED THE MICROBIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS DURING THE SLAUGHTER PROCESS OF A MUNICIPAL SLAUGHTERHOUSE IN HIDALGO, MEXICO. SAMPLES FROM CARCASSES OF CATTLE AND SWINE, PERSONNEL, UTENSILS, AND WATER FROM THE SCALDING AND CLEANING PROCESS OF THE CARCASSES WERE TAKEN BY SWABBING SELECTED AREAS. AEROBIC MESOPHILIC BACTERIA (AMB), COLIFORMS, ESCHERICHIA COLI, SALMONELLA AND STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS WERE ENUMERATED IN EACH SAMPLE. S. AUREUS WAS NOT DETECTED IN ANY OF 158 SAMPLES ANALYZED, WHILE THE AVERAGE OF AMB WAS AROUND 4.5 LOG UFC/CM2. COLIFORMS AND E. COLI WERE ALSO DETECTED IN MOST OF THE SAMPLES AND WERE MORE ABUNDANT IN THE PORK SLAUGHTER LINE THAN IN BEEF. SALMONELLA WAS DETECTED IN 31% OF PORK LINE SAMPLES AND 11% OF THE BEEF LINE SAMPLES. MICROBIAL COUNTS PRESENT IN CARCASSES, UTENSILS AND PERSONNEL INDICATED POOR HYGIENIC CONDITIONS IN THE SLAUGHTERING ESTABLISHMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE OF GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES (GMP) SHOULD BE THE FIRST STEP IN ORDER TO ASSURE THE MICROBIAL SAFETY OF MEAT.
Keywords:
SLAUGHTERHOUSE HYGIENE CARCASSES MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION

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