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Microbiological Contamination of Reindeer Carcass During Slaughter

Mikrobiologisk förorening av renkroppar vid slakt

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 35, pages 383–388 (1994)Cite this article

Abstract

Microbiological counts for 10 different sampling sites of 28 reindeer carcasses were studied in 3 reindeer slaughterhouses in Finland. On each carcass the hindshank, round, abdomen, flank, brisket, foreleg, shoulder, neck, foreback and back were sampled immediately after slaughter, using a nondestructive swabbing method. The overall mean bacterial count for 10 sampling sites of reindeer carcasses was 1.51 ± 0.51 log10 cfu/cm2. Statistically significant differences were detected between sampling sites. The back part of the reindeer carcass, i.e. hindshank, round, back and foreback, seemed to be relatively clean. The most contaminated parts were the foreleg, brisket and abdomen (2.05–2.95 log10 cfu/cm2); these could be used for monitoring the hygiene of the reindeer carcass after slaughter. Differences between the 3 slaughterhouses were detected for some sampling sites, which may be due to differences in slaughter techniques and hygiene.

Sammanfattning

Bakterierantalet på 10 olika provställen av 28 renkroppar blev undersökt vid 3 renslakterier i Finland. Prov togs från varje kropp från lägg, stek, mage, sida, bringa, framben, bog, hals, framrygg och rygg genast efter slakt med en non-destruktiv, strykande metod. Det totala bakteriologiska medelvärdet av de 10 provställena på renkropparna var 1.51 ± 0.51 log10 cfu/cm2. Statistiskt signifikanta skillnader konstaterades mellan provställena. Bakre delen av renkroppen d.v.s.-läggen, steken, ryggen och framryggen – visade sig vara relativt ren. De mest förorenade delarna var framben, bringa och mage (2.05–2.95 log10 cfu/cm2). Dessa partier kunde användas vid övervakningen av renkroppshygienen efter slakt. Skillnader i slaktteknik och -hygien mellan de undersökta slakterierna kan förklara skillnaderna i bakteriekontamination på olika provställen.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Finnish Veterinary Science Foundation.

We would like to thank VMD Erkki Pöysti, the head of the Municipal Food Laboratory of Rovaniemi and the laboratory staff for co-operation during the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Enviromental Hygiene, University of Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 6, SF-00581, Helsinki, Finland

    A. Vaarala & H. Korkeala

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  1. A. Vaarala
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  2. H. Korkeala
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Vaarala, A., Korkeala, H. Microbiological Contamination of Reindeer Carcass During Slaughter. Acta Vet Scand 35, 383–388 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548312

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147