A hygiene report regarding slaughter process of pig and cattle carcasses for 2017 in Serbia

For the successful validation and verification of the HACCP system, a food business operator is obliged, among other duties, to have continuous microbiological data of carcasses which are followed by a certain dynamic that the subject himself prescribed. To obtain these data, it is necessary to perform systematic monitoring of indicator microorganisms. The most important meat hygiene indicators are Total Viable Counts (TVC) and Enterobacteriaceae (EC). TVC are defined as indicators of overall slaughter hygiene (equipment, environment, tools, workers), while EC are indicators of faecal contamination on carcasses. The aim of this study was to determine the microbial contamination of cattle and pig carcasses, level of hygiene of the slaughter process as well as whether variations hygiene levels were related to seasonality in Serbia during 2017. The year was divided into four quarters of three months each, while the microbiological results were classified into three levels of hygiene status (unsatisfactory, satisfactory or acceptable). The highest percentage of the results surveyed during the entire study was at a satisfactory hygiene level. Furthermore, we found there were differences in results between the quarters, which could be associated with seasonality. The best microbiological results, and so the best hygiene of carcasses, was recorded in the period April, May, June, while the worst microbiological results were observed in the period of July, August and September

The Serbian functional food market: Does regulation make a difference?

This paper focuses on empirical analysis of the Serbian functional food market and its comparison with those in other Western Balkan countries (WBC). The purpose is to examine whether the existence of regulation, as an institutional precondition, makes a difference on the operating of the functional food market. This market is a new, fast developing segment, based on health claims made for food. Consumers in Serbia cannot verify health claims either before or after the purchase/consumption, since the property rights on information are extremely weak. Additionally, with successful innovation the free-rider problem usually occurs. Thus, strong institutional support is necessary to ensure regular market functioning. In order to identify the effects of regulation and some other factors with crucial influence on the differences between Serbian and other WBC functional food markets, pooled cross sectional analysis is conducted. The fixed-group effects model is estimated based on data of product categories observed across WBC. Differences in the current level of WBC market development could be explained by the existence of legal regulation, competition, and other factors. All results implicate the necessity of regulatory supervision as well as closer cooperation between government, the private sector, consumer groups, academics, and the research community in further functional food market development in Serbia

Nutritional & Health Claimed Products Market Development in Serbia: Exploration of Findings Obtained from In Depth Interviews

The main objective of this paper is to present the most relevant findings obtained from in depth interviews with processors and retailers about the N&H claimed products market in Serbia. In our research we addressed the following set of topics: motivations and barriers to offer N&H claimed products at domestic market and perception of consumer demand toward N&H claimed products in Serbia. Significant differences between Serbia and other WBC are explored. Statistical testing includes nonparametric test based on two independent samples (Mann- Whitney test). Findings support overall conclusion that this market segment in Serbia is underdeveloped and rather producer than consumer driven

Nutritional & Health Claimed Products Market Development in Serbia: Exploration of Findings Obtained from In Depth Interviews

The main objective of this paper is to present the most relevant findings obtained from in depth interviews with processors and retailers about the N&H claimed products market in Serbia. In our research we addressed the following set of topics: motivations and barriers to offer N&H claimed products at domestic market and perception of consumer demand toward N&H claimed products in Serbia. Significant differences between Serbia and other WBC are explored. Statistical testing includes nonparametric test based on two independent samples (Mann- Whitney test). Findings support overall conclusion that this market segment in Serbia is underdeveloped and rather producer than consumer driven.N&H products market, motivations, barriers, consumer demand, development, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Health Economics and Policy, Q13, D21,

Serbia's Food Trade Competitiveness and PTAS in the EU Integration Process

The aim of the paper is to investigate Serbian food trade in the process of EU integration, particularly the effects of EU Preferential trade agreements (PTAs) and CEFTA integration on Serbian food exports. We analyse the developments in Serbian food trade flows from various aspects: the importance and growth of overall food exports and net-exports, intra-regional (with CEFTA) and extra-regional trade (with EU), as well as trade competiveness of Serbian food trade related to its most important foreign trade markets. In spite of the fact that total export from Serbia recorded decrease during the last decade, especially after the Great economic crisis, the Serbian food exports did not follow the same pattern. That points out the importance of the food trading, especially during the crisis. The food trading is the only sector that one country continuously can count on in the world trade, and the main reason for this conclusion we can find in the real nature of this sector – food sector produces goods for human diet as an existential need

Biosecurity and Lairage Time versus Pork Meat Quality Traits in a Farm–Abattoir Continuum

The modern pig production chain is increasingly focused on biosecurity, quality, and safety of meat and is associated with many challenges impacting world meat markets, such as animal disease outbreaks and sanitary restrictions, trade regulations and quality requirements. To overcome such challenges and assure more consistent pork meat quality (and safety), there is a need to develop an effective and reliable monitoring system in a farm–abattoir continuum that can be based on selected biomarkers. This study assessed interrelations of selected stress and inflammation biomarkers (acute phase proteins (APP)) between farm biosecurity score versus pork meat quality traits after two different lairage periods. Briefly, the maximum recorded levels of stress hormones (436.2 and 241.2 ng/mL, for cortisol and Chromogranin A (CgA), respectively) and APP (389.4 and 400.9 μg/mL, Pig Major Acute Proteins (MAP) and Haptoglobin (Hp), respectively) at four commercial farms were within the recommended threshold values. Cortisol and APP were negatively correlated to the internal and total biosecurity scores of farms. The increase of level of both sets of biomarkers was found at bleeding (after transportation and lairage period), but with lower values after long (18–20 h) versus short (1–3 h) lairage lay-over time. In general, negative correlation was confirmed between stress and inflammation biomarkers and carcass/meat quality traits. The farm total biosecurity level significantly affected chilling yield, meat temperature, and a* value. Pig-MAP emerged as a good biomarker with a promising potential for assessment and anticipation of broad aspects in the pork meat chain. It can be used for detection of failures in the pig production system and might be incorporated in certification programs for the pork meat industry