title: Slaughter by-products: problems, preliminary research and possible solutions.
abstract: The collection, storage, disposal and processing of slaughterhouse by-products is an important part of veterinary care in regions with intensive animal husbandry and meat production. Transmission of diseases and environmental pollution through an improper and/or incorrect handling of slaughterhouse by-products needs to be prevented. The use of animal by-products as feedstuff could be of economical benefit to slaughterhouses and could add nutritive value to animal feed. As a results of the centralisation and intensification of slaughtering, the amount of slaughter by-products produced at a single location is increasing. Until now, hardly any attention, in practice or in research, has been paid to the collection and disposal of these by-products. There are important socio-economic reasons to increase scientific knowledge about the handling of slaughter by-products. Several animal by-products were contaminated with Salmonella. We also showed that rapid breakdown of amino acids in poultry by-products occurs during storage at 20 degrees C. It is concluded that as far as safety, environmental care and nutritive value of animal by-products is concerned, diversification and separation of slaughter by-product collection, storage, disposal and processing is necessary. Measures at source, the slaughterline, and some technologies are suggested for future use.
authors.affiliation: Department of the Science of Food of Animal Origin, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Urlings
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: van Logtestijn
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Bijker
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs / Q000592:standards*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000592:standards*; D000818:Animals; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005511:Food Handling; D011309:Preservation, Biological; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D012475:Salmonella / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids