CAC/RCP 58-2005 Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat
1. INTRODUCTION
1. Meat has traditionally been viewed as a vehicle for a significant proportion of human food-borne disease. Although the spectrum of meat-borne diseases of public health importance has changed with changing production and processing systems, continuation of the problem has been well illustrated in recent years by human surveillance studies of specific meat-borne pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and Yersinia enterocolitica. In addition to existing biological, chemical and physical hazards, new hazards are also appearing e.g., the agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Furthermore consumers have expectations about suitability issues which are not
necessarily of human health significance.
2. A contemporary risk-based approach to meat hygiene requires that hygiene measures should be applied at those points in the food chain where they will be of greatest value in reducing food-borne risks to consumers. This should be reflected in application of specific measures based on science and risk assessment, with a greater emphasis on prevention and control of contamination during all aspects of production of meat and its further processing. Application of HACCP principles is an essential element.
The measure of success of contemporary programmes is an objective demonstration of levels of hazard control in food that are correlated with required levels of consumer protection, rather than by concentrating on detailed and prescriptive measures that give an unknown outcome.
3. At the national level the activities of the Competent Authority having jurisdiction at the slaughterhouse (usually Veterinary Administrations2) very often serve animal health as well as public health objectives. This is particularly the case in relation to ante- and post-mortem inspection where the
slaughterhouse is a key point in animal health surveillance, including zoonoses. Regardless of jurisdictional arrangements, it is important that this duality of functions is recognized and relevant public health and animal health activities are integrated.
