The total aerobic plate count (APC) and Enterobacteriaceae were evaluated on the surfaces of ostrich carcasses dressed in three different medium/small-sized abattoirs, where other domestic and/or farmed wild animals are also slaughtered. Very similar slaughtering procedures are carried out in these plants, but differences exist in skinning methods and final carcass washing. Samples were taken immediatelly after skinning and at the end of carcass dressing. The meat values of the microbial load were relatively low in all carcasses at each of the two processing steps. The skinning procedure assisted by mechanically air inflation did not negatively affect the surface microbial load. In two plants where final external carcass washing is not a practice, there was a slightly higher APC value at the end carcass dressing with respect to the value obtained immediately after skinning, thus showing a positive effect of the final carcass washing procedure. In order to evaluate the hygienic standard of the slaughter-line, the microbiological parameters specified by Commission Decision 2001/471/EC for bovine, ovine and swine carcass, also seem to be applicable for ostrich, but more extensive research is needed.
Preliminary study of the microbiological quality of ostrich (Struthio camelus) carcasses dressed in small Italian abattoirs
SEVERINI, Maurizio;RANUCCI, David;MIRAGLIA, DINO;BRANCIARI, Raffaella
2003
Abstract
The total aerobic plate count (APC) and Enterobacteriaceae were evaluated on the surfaces of ostrich carcasses dressed in three different medium/small-sized abattoirs, where other domestic and/or farmed wild animals are also slaughtered. Very similar slaughtering procedures are carried out in these plants, but differences exist in skinning methods and final carcass washing. Samples were taken immediatelly after skinning and at the end of carcass dressing. The meat values of the microbial load were relatively low in all carcasses at each of the two processing steps. The skinning procedure assisted by mechanically air inflation did not negatively affect the surface microbial load. In two plants where final external carcass washing is not a practice, there was a slightly higher APC value at the end carcass dressing with respect to the value obtained immediately after skinning, thus showing a positive effect of the final carcass washing procedure. In order to evaluate the hygienic standard of the slaughter-line, the microbiological parameters specified by Commission Decision 2001/471/EC for bovine, ovine and swine carcass, also seem to be applicable for ostrich, but more extensive research is needed.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
