Analysis of Microbial Contamination on Cattle Carcass Surface and in Contact Environment during Traditional Cattle Slaughtering

This study aims to examine the changes of microbial contamination on the beef carcass surface and in the contact environment during cattle slaughtering. A total of 322 microbial samples were collected during the skinning, trimming and weighing, washing and chilling processes. The sampling sites were the hind legs, middle back, chest, front legs and neck as well as the operatives’ hands and knives. The aerobic plate count (APC), and the counts of Lactobacillus, coliform bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseadomonas were analyzed. The results showed that the level of microbial contamination on the carcass surface increased firstly and then decreased, and the highest level of microbial contamination was observed in the trimming and weighing process, with APC of 2.82 (lg(CFU/cm²)). The chest was the most contaminated part during slaughtering, with average APC of 2.10 (lg(CFU/cm²)). Slaughtering air was most contaminated during rinsing and its bacterial count was 271.33 CFU per plate. The operatives’ hands and knives were also a major source of microbial carcass contamination.