Salmonella Control in Meat Processing
Salmonella control in meat processing brings together the hygiene, cleaning, disinfection and verification measures that stop the bacterium reaching the meat.
Salmonella is a genus of Gram-negative enterobacteria. Serotypes of Salmonella enterica such as Typhimurium and Enteritidis cause most foodborne salmonellosis. Its reservoir is the gut of animals, especially poultry and pigs, and meat becomes contaminated during slaughter and dressing, through contact with gut contents, and later through cross-contamination via surfaces, utensils and hands. Thorough cooking destroys it; the risk lies in contamination of ready-to-eat foods and in undercooked meat.
In the meat industry, Regulation (EC) 853/2004 sets the hygiene requirements for products of animal origin and Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 lays down microbiological criteria for Salmonella in meat and meat preparations. Within the HACCP plan, the tools are separation of areas and flows, cleaning that removes blood, fat and protein, disinfection with a tested product and environmental sampling to verify the result. Salmonella is not one of the mandatory bacteria in UNE-EN 13697; the manufacturer can add it as an additional microorganism, so the data sheet must be checked to confirm it is listed.
Instaquim products whose technical data sheet cites tests against Salmonella:
- Bacter Clor (UNE-EN 13697 at 3 %, dirty conditions): foaming chlorinated alkaline product for slaughterhouses, cutting rooms, canneries and cold stores.
- Clor NF Pro (UNE-EN 13697 at 4 %, dirty conditions): tanks, circuits and utensils, especially by recirculation.
- InstaBact® 3000 (UNE-EN 13697, clean conditions; 2 %, about 5 min for bactericidal effect): walls, equipment, utensils and surfaces.
- InstaBact® DS (UNE-EN 13697, dirty conditions; neat, at least 5 min): cleans and disinfects surfaces in a single operation.
- InstaBact® DS Plus (UNE-EN 13697, clean conditions; neat by spraying, 5 min): clean surfaces that are decontaminated frequently.