Effect of Hygiene and Safety Management Systems on the Microbiological Quality of Fresh Beef

The effect of the Hygiene Assessment System (HAS) alone and the HAS combined with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HAS + HACCP) on the bacteriological quality of beef in abattoirs were assessed. Sponge swab samples were collected from chilled beef carcasses for indicator organisms: Aerobic Plate Count (APC) and Enterobacteriaceae, and spoilage organisms, Pseudomonas spp. and lactic acid bacteria. Swabs were also collected for pathogenic bacteria: E. coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. For each management system, two abattoirs were assessed. There was no significant difference (p<0.05) between the microbiological quality of beef carcasses processed in the abattoirs with the HAS system and that of beef carcasses processed in abattoirs with combined HAS + HACCP. However, E. coli O157:H7 was isolated from carcasses processed in an abattoir with combined HAS + HACCP system. Although overall S. aureus counts at all abattoirs were comparable, the higher incidence (47% of carcasses) was obtained at an abattoir with combined HAS + HACCP. Salmonella spp. was not detected during the study, indicating that if the HAS system is effectively implemented and, perhaps, monitored by a third party, as done in South Africa, it can be effective in reducing the incidence of pathogens as well as in producing beef carcasses with acceptable microbiological quality.