Microbial assessment of an upward and downward dehiding technique in a commercial beef processing plant.
Preventing microbial contamination during dehiding is challenging, and skinning methods are of critical importance for the hygienic status of beef carcasses. Two skinning methods are usually employed: upward hide pulling (UHP) and downward hide pulling (DHP). This study has compared the microbiological contamination of carcasses using both systems in a beef processing plant in the process of changing its dehiding method from UHP to DHP. 100 cm(2) areas from eight carcass sites (ham, chuck, rump, bung, flank, brisket, shin and neck) were sampled on 36 skinned carcasses dehided by each technique. Total viable counts (TVCs) and Enterobacteriaceae counts for each site were determined. No significant differences were observed in total (pooled-samples) carcass contamination regardless of the method used. However, significant differences (p<0.05) in TVCs were observed at the flank, shin, brisket and neck. These differences can be attributed to possible deficiencies in the implementation of the HACCP pre-requisite programmes, and are not necessarily associated with the skinning method per se.
Veterinary Public Health Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Agriculture House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland; NICHE, School of Biomedical Science, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland; School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.
Thomas G
TG
Kennedy
NICHE, School of Biomedical Science, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland; School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: e.giotis@imperial.ac.uk.
Efstathios S
ES
Giotis
NICHE, School of Biomedical Science, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland; School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.
Aideen I
AI
McKevitt
D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004032:Diet; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*
Beef carcass; Food safety; Microbial contamination; Upward and downward hide puller