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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 aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different packaging conditions (vacuum and modified atmosphere) on the microbiological status (total viable count, lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and pH in minced pork meat. Pork mince was packaged in vacuum, modified atmosphere with 20% O2, 50% CO2 and 30% N2 (MAP 1) or modified atmosphere with 20% O2, 30% CO2 and 50% N2 (MAP 2), refrigerated at 3±1°C and examined on the days 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 of storage. The average total viable counts and total Enterobacteriaceae counts in vacuum packaged mince were statistically significantly higher (p lt 0.01; p lt 0.05) than in modified atmosphere packaged mince with both combinations of gases, on different days of storage. The largest decrease of total viable count and Enterobacteriaceae count was noted in modified atmosphere packaged mince with the higher concentration (50%) of CO2.