Salmonella sp em rebanho comercial de suínos e em suas carcaças processadas no frigorífico

Abstract

The slaughter of pigs with Salmonella sp is considered the first critical point for contamination of the final product. The risk represented by these animals tends to increase when this bacterium is present in portions of the carcass that reaches the consumer. In this study, we sought to verify the association of the prevalence of pigs with Salmonella sp in the finishing phase with the contamination of carcasses at slaughter. In the farm were collected rectal swabs from 45 individual animals, swabs drag the floor of the stall, feed and water. In the refrigerator the day before slaughter were again collected swabs from 45 individual animals previously identified in the farm and swabs drag the floor of the waiting pen. To assess the presence of Salmonella sp on the surface of pig carcasses and characterization of microbiological hazards in different stages of slaughter and critical control points, surface swabs were performed on 45 carcasses at Point A, after scalding and hair removal of 45 carcasses at Point C, after evisceration and splitting of carcasses and at Point B, were collected from mesenteric lymph nodes of 45 carcasses. We also carried out procurement of 12 environmental samples, swabs of equipment surfaces and utensils, during the slaughter of pigs. In the farm was isolated Salmonella sp positive 57.77% of pigs tested and 66.66% of feed samples collected. In the slaughterhouse, in the pre-slaughter was isolated Salmonella sp from 48.88% of pigs on the farm previously identified and 33.33% of the swabs drag the floor of pens. In the process of slaughter, was isolated Salmonella sp from 22.22% of the samples from Point A, 24.44% of the samples in Part B and 26.66% of the samples from Point C. The monitoring of environmental samples, one of three samples of scrap machine (33.33%) and one of three samples of the band saw (33.33%) were positive for Salmonella sp. It can be concluded that the high occurrence of this bacterium in the farm contributed to the frequency of isolation of the slaughter, and the ration considered an important source of contamination of the pig herd. The stage of pre-slaughter was an important critical control point due to the stress of transportation they are subjected to the animals and the contamination of animals with the floor of the pens. In the process of killing the steps of scalding, plucking, evisceration and good handling practices represent important critical control points. The risk of contamination with Salmonella sp were the same in all stages of the slaughter of pigs in the present study.