What is meat in Serbia

Abstract

Ensuring meat safety is a significant concern in Serbia, as in any country. To address this issue, the Serbian government has implemented several measures, including regular inspections of slaughterhouses and meat processing facilities and adhering to EU regulations on meat safety. These regulations stipulate that all meat products must meet stringent hygiene, storage, and labeling standards. In addition, consumers are advised to buy meat products only from trustworthy sources to safeguard their health. While the issue of meat safety in Serbia remains a concern, the government and consumers are taking steps to mitigate the risks associated with consuming meat products. Serbia's meat processing industry focuses on developing new, healthier products with "clean label" formulations and innovative packaging films. However, the welfare of animals during the slaughtering process has been a topic of concern among animal rights organizations. Although regulations exist to ensure the humane treatment of animals during the slaughtering process, enforcing these regulations has been criticized as inadequate. Efforts are being made to educate and enforce humane treatment, but much more work is needed to ensure that animals are treated with dignity and respect. From a research perspective, it is evident that the Serbian meat sector significantly impacts natural resources, especially water, and energy. The industry also pollutes the environment through wastewater discharge and contributes to climate change in terms of global warming, acidification, and eutrophication. Future research should focus on finding ways to minimize the environmental impact of the meat value chain.