title: Current food chain information provides insufficient information for modern meat inspection of pigs.
abstract: Meat inspection now incorporates a more risk-based approach for protecting human health against meat-borne biological hazards. Official post-mortem meat inspection of pigs has shifted to visual meat inspection. The official veterinarian decides on additional post-mortem inspection procedures, such as incisions and palpations. The decision is based on declarations in the food chain information (FCI), ante-mortem inspection and post-mortem inspection. However, a smooth slaughter and inspection process is essential. Therefore, one should be able to assess prior to slaughter which pigs are suitable for visual meat inspection only, and which need more profound inspection procedures. This study evaluates the usability of the FCI provided by pig producers and considered the possibility for risk ranking of incoming slaughter batches according to the previous meat inspection data and the current FCI. Eighty-five slaughter batches comprising 8954 fattening pigs were randomly selected at a slaughterhouse that receives animals from across Finland. The mortality rate, the FCI and the meat inspection results for each batch were obtained. The current FCI alone provided insufficient and inaccurate information for risk ranking purposes for meat inspection. The partial condemnation rate for a batch was best predicted by the partial condemnation rate calculated for all the pigs sent for slaughter from the same holding in the previous year (p<0.001) and by prior information on cough declared in the current FCI (p=0.02) statement. Training and information to producers are needed to make the FCI reporting procedures more accurate. Historical meat inspection data on pigs slaughtered from the same holdings and well-chosen symptoms/signs for reporting, should be included in the FCI to facilitate the allocation of pigs for visual inspection. The introduced simple scoring system can be easily used for additional information for directing batches to appropriate meat inspection procedures. To control the main biological public health hazards related to pork, serological surveillance should be done and the information obtained from analyses should be used as part of the FCI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: elina.felin@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Elina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Felin
authors.affiliation: HKScan Oyj, P.O. Box 49, 01511 Vantaa, Finland. Electronic address: elias.jukola@hkscan.com.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jukola
authors.affiliation: Finnish Food Safety Authority, Zoonosis Centre, Mustialankatu 3, 00790 Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: saara.raulo@evira.fi.
authors.forename: Saara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raulo
authors.affiliation: Joensuu, Finland. Electronic address: jaakko.heinonen@luke.fi.
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: maria.fredriksson-ahomaa@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fredriksson-Ahomaa
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D005387:Finland; D020387:Food Chain; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005513:Food Inspection / Q000379:methods*; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Food chain information; Food safety; Meat inspection; Pig; Sensitivity; Specificity