Benjamino Cenci Goga

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Vol. VII (2005) srpanj - kolovoz br. 436ZNANSTVENO STRUČNI DIOSuggestions on the revision of meat inspection methodsSTRUČNI RADSAŽETAKUTJECAJ HLAĐENJA NA MIKROBIOLOŠKU KVALITETU POVRŠINE SVINJSKIH POLOVICA I POST MORTALNE PROCESE U MESU SVINJACilj istraživanja je bilo praćenje mikroklimatskih uvjeta u prostoriji za hlađenje svinjetine i njihov utjecaj na tem-peraturu mesa, pH vrijednost, količinu mliječne kiseline kao i mikrobiološku kvalitetu površine svinjskih polovica. Tijekom pokusa temperature u prostoriji za hlađenje i temperature mesa bile su sukladne važećim propisima za hranu. Rezultati mjerenja relativne vlage su kod jedne trećine mjerenja pokazivali niže a kod više od polovine mjerenja više vrijednosti od propisanih. Više vrijednosti relativne vlage štetno su utjecale na smanjenje broja aerobnih bakterija. U dva je slučaja utvrđen nestandardni post mortalni proces (procijenjen na temelju pH vrijednosti i količine mliječne kiseline).Ključne riječi: rashlađivanje, temperatura, vlaga, mikrobiološka kvaliteta, svinjske poloviceREFERENCESEley, A.R. (1996): Microbial Food Poisoning. Chapman & Hall, 205 strán.Joseph, R.L. (1997): Potential for fast chilling. Meat Interna-tional, 7, 28-29.Potravinový kódex Slovenskej republiky (1996): Výnos Ministerstva pôdohospodárstva a ministerstva zdravotníctva č. 981/1996-100 z 20. mája 1996. Vestník Ministerstva pôdoho-spodárstva SR, XXVIII, čiastka 14.STN ISO 4832 Mikrobiológia (1997): Všeobecné pokyny na stanovenie počtu koliformných baktérií. Metóda počítania kolónií.STN ISO 4833 Mikrobiológia (1997): Všeobecné pokyny na stanovenie celkového počtu mikroorganizmov. Metóda počítania kolónií kultivovaných pri 30 0CSTN ISO 6579 Mikrobiológia (1997): Všeobecné pokyny pre metódy na dôkaz baktérií rodu Salmonella.STN ISO 7251 Mikrobiológia (1997): Všeobecné pokyny na stanovenie počtu predpokladaných baktérií Escherichia coli.STN ISO 10560 Mlieko a mliečne výrobky (1997): Dôkaz baktérií Listeria monocytogenesTurek, P., Gorzová, A., Máté, D. (1989): Surface contamina-tion of swine after slaughter processing and cooling. Folia veteri-naria, XXXIII, 1, 131-140.Turek, P. (1992): Chladenie mäsa a drobov po zabití. In Izák a kol.: Hygiena a technológia mäsa. Príroda, 35-42.Veterinární laboratorní metodiky (1990): Hygiena potravín. ŠVS SR, SVS ČR, 32-33.Woltersdorf, W. (1994): Technik und Hygiene beim Schlachten von Schweinen. In Kulmbacher Reihe Band 13: Schlachten von Schwein und Rind, 84-110.* The paper was presented on the scientific meeting Hygienaalimentorum XXVI, May 25 -27 2005, Štrbske Pleso -  Vysoké Tatry. Slovakia■1 Prof.dr.sc. Benjamino Cenci Goga, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Dipartimento di Scienze Biopatologiche e Igiene delle Produzioni Animali e Alimentari, Sezione di Ispezione degli Alimenti di Origine Animale  SUGGESTIONS ON THE REVISION OF MEAT INSPECTION METHODSB. Cenci Goga1ACTIVITIES OF THE EFSAThe European Food Safety Authority was cre-ated on 28th January 2002, with a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (178/2002), to protect the safety and the interests of consum-ers. The name was translated in the EU languages with variable results. If, for example, French, Ger-man and Portuguese with, respectively, Autorité européenne de sécurité des aliments, Europäische Behörde für Lebensmittelsicherheit and Autoridade Europeai para a Segurança dos Alimentos, give the exact idea of what the authority deals with, namely of how safe foods are, the Italian and Spanish trans-lations (Autorità europea per la sicurezza alimentare and Autoridad Europea de Seguridad Alimentaria) cause some confusion in Anglophone readers. As a matter of fact, the Italian translation for food safety is sicurezza degli alimenti, while sicurezza alimentare, www.meso.hr 37ZNANSTVENO STRUČNI DIOSuggestions on the revision of meat inspection methodsSTRUČNI RADaccording to the FAO definition, is the translation forfood security that means the possibility that each individual has to constantly access enough food to lead an active and healthy life. The EFSA is the European Union answer to the consumer distrust that involved both the political and scientific world following the important sanitaryproblems of the 1990s such as BSE, the contami-nation of certain foods with dioxins and the avian influenza virus. The main EFSA function is to giveindependent and objective opinions on food safety matters, just like the FSA (Food Standard Authority) created in Great Britain in April 2000. The European Union thus hopes to regain consumer trust, cutting out every clash of interest source inside its struc-tures. The main aim of the EFSA is to “..contribute to a high level of consumer health protection in the area of food safety through which consumer con-fidence can be restored and maintained”. The firstEFSA seat was in Bruxelles where, in May 2003, the Scientific Commission and the Panels weredesignated. The EFSA, with the help of experts and of work groups, provides scientific opinions and riskevaluations on specific matters posed by the riskmanagement organs, meaning the EU institutions with political responsibility: the European Commis-sion, the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers. The opinions expressed by the EFSA, characterized by maximum scientific rigour, there-fore have the role of guiding the normative deeds and the regulations concerning consumer protection in food safety matters.THE OPINIONS OF THE BIOHAZ PANELThe scientific organization of the EFSA comprisesvarious areas (additives, genetically modified organ-isms, biological hazards, chemical contaminants, etc…) and most opinions related to veterinary competences are expressed by the members of the BIOHAZ area. This panel deals with matters con-cerning meat inspection, zoonoses, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and food hygiene in general. The BIOHAZ panel activity produced vari-ous opinions ranging from those concerning the use of antimicrobial agents in chicken farming to those concerning BSE (the complete list and the opinions in the official language, English, can be found at thefollowing address: http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/biohaz/biohaz opinions/catindex e n.html).In view of the future legal trends concerning the meat inspection sector, 4 opinions on the revision of inspection methods were published. The first oneconcerned risk evaluation and control strategies for bovine tuberculosis (Opinion of the scientific Panelon Biological Hazards on “Tuberculosis in Bovine Animals: Risks for human health and control strat-egies”, The EFSA Journal, 2003, 13, 1-53), the second opinion concerned the consumption of meat infected with trichinella or cysticercus (Opinion of the scientific Panel on Biological Hazards on “thesuitability and details of freezing methods to allow human consumption of meat infected with Trichinel-la or Cysticercus” the EFSA Journal, 2004,142, 1-50); more recently two documents on the revision of meat inspection were published, the first concerninglambs and goats (Opinion of the scientific Panel onBiological Hazards on “Revision of Meat Inspec-tion Procedures for Lambs and Goats”, the EFSA Journal, 2004, 54, 1-49) and the second bovines raised in integrated production systems (Opinion of the scientific Panel on Biological Hazards on “Revi-sion of meat inspection for beef raised in Integrated Production Systems”, the EFSA Journal, 2004, 141, 1-56). A document concerning cysticercosis risk evaluation and the possible use of diagnostic tests more sensitive than inspection is currently being published.REVISION OF POST-MORTEM MEAT INSPECTION METHODSIn view of the future changes in the EU legisla-tion and considering the indications for redrafting and simplifying the current law, (Regulation 852, 853 and 854 of 2004), the EFSA was posed spe-cific questions on post-mortem inspection methods.In particular, the EFSA was asked to determine, for each of the palpations and incisions manda-tory according to Council Directive 64/433/EEC (as amended by Directive 91/497/EEC) the following aspects: which disease or other process is targeted; the pathogenic agent and the relevance for human health; the risk for Public Health if procedure(s) are Vol. VII (2005) srpanj - kolovoz br. 438ZNANSTVENO STRUČNI DIOSuggestions on the revision of meat inspection methodsSTRUČNI RADto be omitted for the inspection of animals raised in integrated production systems; whether alterna-tive methods, including use of laboratory and rapid methods, could ensure a level of health protection at least equivalent to that provided by the current procedure.With the present note the authors wish to refer the conclusions reached by an expert work group (Bénard, Buncic, Cenci-Goga, Cubero, Dwinger, Ellerbroek, Mac Johnston, Willinghans).Despite the fact cattle can be infected with patho-gens that cause clinical signs detectable during the ante-mortem inspection and/or lesions detectable post-mortem, reports indicate that the post-mortem inspection of apparently healthy animals only detects 20% of all the macroscopic lesions that are actually present in 1% or less of the animals slaughtered (Harbers 1991; Berends et al., 1993). Most of the macroscopic lesions found during the post-mortem examination indicate animal pathologies that are in no way related to public health (Hathaway and McKenzie, 1989; Berends et al., 1993). Actually, it is generally accepted by the scientific community thatthe efficacy of the routine post-mortem inspectionin detecting lesions of interest for public health is limited (Blackmore, 1983; Hathaway et al., 1987; Hathaway and McKenzie, 1989). The expert group considered these preliminary statements to reach the conclusions and express the opinions object of this note. One of the authors wishes to mention the critical position adopted, as Italian delegate, concerning the publishing of an opinion that, from a superficial reading, seems to limit the competencesof veterinary doctors. A brief digression is neces-sary to make this point clear. During the 1990s laws (DPR 312/91 and D.lgs. 286/94) laid down exactly how a post-mortem examination had to be per-formed by giving a detailed list of exams. Making a codified methodology that followed a preorderedscheme mandatory was, and still is, criticized. The previous law only suggested that inspection should be methodical, accurate and very precise, without giving anatomic or necroscopical indications, but leaving the decisions up to the veterinary doctors that acted considering the single case. Many people regretted, and still regret, the approach suggested by the old law, both in consideration of the time necessary to conduct such an accurate inspection, that is often not compatible with industrial slaughter-ing, and in consideration of the risk that performing mandatory inspective deeds will make sanitary meat inspection a routine and demotivating activity. This is how both the opinions published by the EFSA and the new 2004 EC regulations (n. 852, 853 and 854) should be interpreted: not as a return to the past, but as a way to professionally reposition the veterinary doctor in the meat inspection sector while guaran-teeing a better consumer protection.The expert groups also took microbial carcass contaminations into consideration. Food animals can carry pathogenic microorganisms without show-ing any signs of disease ante-mortem, or visible lesions post-mortem. During slaughter and dress-ing procedures, these pathogens can be directly or indirectly transferred onto the meat surface. In addi-tion, it is recognised that physical meat inspection involving palpation and cutting increases the risk of cross-contamination. Modified approaches aretherefore necessary to reduce inspection mediated cross-contamination of meat, whilst improving or at least maintaining the efficacy of the conventionalpost-mortem inspection. Another important aspect considered by the EFSA experts was the possibility that palpation and inci-sion of certain organs during inspection was not necessary for animals coming from an integrated production system, that are also considered non suspect after ante-mortem and visual post-mortem inspection, and when there are no indications of increased animal health or public health risk (for example salmonellosis or Taenia saginata cyst-icerci). This alternative, simplified inspection systemis only applicable if it includes other prophylaxis and inspection activities, if a thorough ante-mortem examination is ensured with full recording systems implemented and if any sign of abnormality is fol-lowed by a further detailed examination of the car-cass and offal.The work group then considered the sensitivity of alternative or simplified methods compared to currentmeat inspection measures. As far as tuberculosis is concerned, the inspection of the retropharyngeal, bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes is particularly helpful. Removing the detailed inspection, i.e. multi-www.meso.hr 39ZNANSTVENO STRUČNI DIOLegislation related to game and game meat in the Slovak republicSTRUČNI RADple incisions, of these three sets of lymph nodes, as required under current meat inspection legislation would reduce the detection rate of tuberculosis in bovines. This is in accordance with the conclusion reached by the EFSA/BIOHAZ panel stating that adoption of palpation only, instead of palpation and incision, for inspecting lymph nodes and organs, (e.g. lungs), for evidence of tuberculosis would lead to a lower detection rate of such lesions. Presently, although it is unknown whether omission of these incisions would increase the risk to public health due to M. bovis infection, it is clear that it could reduce the detection rate of infected animals, and therefore negatively affect animal disease control.The traditional physical post mortem inspection has a low sensitivity to detect Taenia saginata cyst-icercosis. Therefore, alternative systems based on farm controls as well as on the use of alternative diagnostic tests would increase the detection rate and thus benefit public health. However, the diag-nostic tests available at the moment have yet to be validated in the EU. Consequently, the incisions prescribed by the current law need to remain as an “interim” measure until validation of T. saginata cysticercosis diagnostic tests is completed. Among these, those based on T. saginata antigen detection in blood samples appear particularly promising as an alternative to muscle incisions.The EC Regulation N.854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29th April 2004 that lays down specific rules for the organization ofofficial controls of products of animal origin destinedfor human consumption, represents an example of simplification and partial redrafting of the existinglaws on the basis of the opinions expressed by the EFSA.REFERENCESBerends B.R., Snijders J.M.A., Van Logtestijn J.G. (1993): Vet. Rec. 133: 411; Blackmore, D.K. (1983). Nord vet. Med. 35(4): 184; Harbers A.H.M. (1991). Thesis Utrecht University, 136 (quoted by Snijders and Van Knapen, 1993); Hathaway S.C., McKenzie A.I., Royal W.A. (1987). Vet. Rec. 120: 78.; Hathaway S.C., McKenzie A.I. (1989). Vet. Rec. 124(8): 189* The paper was presented on the scientific meeting Hygienaalimentorum XXVI, May 25 -27 2005, Štrbske Pleso -  Vysoké Tatry. Slovakia■LEGISLATION RELATED TO GAME AND GAME MEAT IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLICNagy1, J., P. Lazar1, P. Popelka1, J. Cehlár1, J. Čurlík11 The Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, The University of Veterinary Medicine, Komenského 73, 041 81 Košice, The Slovak Republic  SUMMARYBasic legislative frame of breeding of game as farm ani-mals is included in the Veterinary care law No. 488/2002 Z.z. with amendments, Food act No. 152/1995 Z.z. with amendments. Veterinary care law (488/2002 Z.z.) estab-lishes veterinary requirements for live animals and also for products of animal origin, including animal products in relation to the public health protection. Government regulations were added to the Veterinary care law in the process of implementation of EU Directives into national legislation. Food act 152/1995 Z.z. establishes conditions of production of food and other animal products, their handling and placing on the market to support and protect consumers and their health, and the roles and organisa-tion of food supervision and keeping of rules.Requirements for health safety, hygiene, composition and quality of food, ingredients, technological processes used in food production, packaging, marking, storage, transportation, handling and distribution, and also rules for sampling and sample analysis procedures are estab-

Suggestions on the revisions of meat inspection methods

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