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Correlation between Aerosol Particulates, Carcass Dirtiness, and Hygiene Indicators of Bovine Carcasses in the Abattoir Environment: Results of a Study in Italy

Authors :
Beniamino T. Cenci-Goga
Emma Tedeschini
Egidia Costanzi
Margherita Maranesi
Musafiri Karama
Saeed El-Ashram
Cristina Saraiva
Juan García-Díez
Massimo Zerani
Ebtesam M. Al-Olayan
Luca Grispoldi
Source :
Microbiology Research, Vol 15, Iss 2, Pp 598-613 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the possible correlation of visible carcass contamination and abattoir aerosol quality with microbial hygiene criteria. A total of 279 bovine carcasses were analyzed on 23 different working days. The aerobic colony count and total coliforms on the carcasses were calculated together with the presence of Escherichia coli. To determine the visible contamination of carcasses, we used a 100 cm2 sheet of transparent, adhesive plastic material, applied to the side of the carcass, to collect all the particles, which were then counted against both black and white backgrounds. The daily particulate index in the abattoir aerosol was determined using an air sampler device. The results showed that aerobic colony counts, which ranged from 1.41 to 2.40 log cfu cm−2, total coliforms (from 0.00 to 0.73 log cfu cm−2), and E. coli presence (from 0.00% to 60% of the sampled carcasses per day) are not correlated with the carcasses’ visual dirtiness or the aerosol quality. The factor analysis showed a correlation between the three groups of variables investigated: group 1, representing “aerosol quality”, group 2, representing the “microbiology of the carcass”, and group 3, the “visual dirtiness of the carcass”. Thus, even though microbiology analysis is useful in diagnosing the microorganisms which the official veterinarian is unable to detect during the post-mortem inspection, it is ineffective in evaluating slaughtering procedures. Aerosol monitoring and the visual classification of carcass dirtiness, instead, could provide good indications of the slaughtering process and the quality of the abattoir environment, and guarantee control of manufacturing practices, protecting both animals’ and operators’ health.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20367481
Volume :
15
Issue :
2
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Microbiology Research
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.49d03b95146142bca860e8d90116a9b8
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/microbiolres15020039