Process hygiene of pig carcasses during one year at a slaughterhouse in the North Banat District of Serbia

During the validation and verification of HACCP system, a food business operator must use the data obtained in the regular control, whose dynamics and extent are required by actual legislation. During one year, at a cattle slaughterhouse in North Banat District (Serbia), swabs were continually taken from the carcasses of pigs, on the slaughter line after the final wash, in order to monitor compliance with the process hygiene criteria (Salmonella spp., Enterobacteriaceae, total viable count of aerobic bacteria). For 30 consecutive weeks of testing, , Salmonella spp. presence was not detected on the pig carcasses after final wash, while the determined presence of Enterobacteriaceae were 1,05 ± 0,78 log CFU/cm2, and the total viable count of aerobic bacteria were 2.87 ± 0.96 log CFU/cm2. The analysis of the obtained results proved a downward trend in Enterobacteriacae and total viable count of aerobic bacteria presence which proves the effectiveness of the new approach in the monitoring process hygiene during the production of pig carcasses, in accordance with the actual legislation.