Food safety and process hygiene criterions on sheep carcasses

The hygienic status and the presence of some pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus,
Listeria monocytogenes e Salmonella spp.) at slaughterhouses was evaluated in
different matrix of sheep and lambs (carcass surface, faeces, fleeces and
mesenteric lymph nodes) according to the Com. Reg. (EC) No 2073/2005. The 48%
of sheep and 68.9% of lamb sampled carcasses resulted allocated into the
marginal category for Aerobic colony count, while the 28% and 42.2% respectively
were allocated into unacceptable category for Enterobacteriaceae. S.aureus was
isolated more frequently in fleeces (11.5%), carcasses (12.6%) of lambs than
sheep. L. monocytogenes was found in fleeces and carcass of two sheep and in
faeces of four lambs, while Salmonella spp. was detected only in sheep carcasses
of a single plant.