Occurrence of Escherichia coli O157 on hides of slaughtered cattle.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain the first information on the occurrence of Escherichia coli O157 on hides of slaughtered cattle in Serbia.


RESULTS
A total of 355 swabs were taken on the slaughterline from five areas of hide of each of the 71 cattle in a single commercial abattoir in Serbia. Using an ISO method incorporating enrichment and immunomagnetic separation steps, E. coli O157 was isolated from the hides of 20 animals (28 x 2%). With respect to different areas of the hides, the occurrence of the pathogen was, in decreasing order: hooves (11 x 3%), brisket (8 x 4%), rump (7 x 0%), neck (4 x 2) and flank (2 x 8%). In addition, factors that had more or less effects on the occurrence included visible dirtiness of the hide, cattle's age category, geographical origin of the animals and season.


CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed the presence of E. coli O157 in the beef chain in Serbia and confirmed hide as an important potential source of related contamination of beef carcasses. Therefore, incorporation of preskinning hide decontamination treatments into HACCP-based slaughterline hygiene control measures could be very useful.


CONCLUSIONS
The results will enable further optimization of necessary measures along the beef chain to reduce the E. coli O157 risks in Serbia.
Nastasijevic
I
I
Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia.
Mitrovic
R
R
Buncic
S
S
D000003:Abattoirs / Q000592:standards; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005525:Food-Processing Industry; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*; D015022:Yugoslavia