Process hygiene of cattle carcasses in one slaughterhouse in Serbia during 36 months

Dunja Videnović; Ivana Branković Lazić; Nikola Betić; Aleksandar Bajčić; Dunja Mišić; Lazar Milojević; Boris Mrdović

doi:10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.49

Dunja Videnović Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2638-247X
Ivana Branković Lazić Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5844-9278
Nikola Betić Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7375-6752
Aleksandar Bajčić Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2923-4137
Dunja Mišić Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2213-2612
Lazar Milojević Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6901-6033
Boris Mrdović Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9964-4317

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.49

Keywords: Process hygiene, slaughterhouse, cattle, microbiological criteria

Abstract

Process hygiene in slaughterhouses plays a key role in ensuring product safety and protecting the health of both workers and final consumers. A three-year monitoring was conducted in one slaughterhouse in Serbia, using non-destructive sampling and testing according to microbiological criteria for total viable count (TVC), Enterobacteriaceae (EC), and the presence of Salmonella spp. The results showed that all TVC and EC values were below the prescribed m and M limits, while Salmonella spp. was detected in two samples. These findings highlight the need for continuous monitoring. Only consistent implementation of self-control measures, application of the HACCP system, and ongoing staff training can ensure meat safety and protect public health. This study emphasizes that properly applied hygiene measures can significantly reduce the risk of microbiological contamination of meat.