Food Standards Agency FS517003 A Qualitative study into the Operations and Impacts of a Modernised P

Descriptions

The FSA employs officials in approved slaughterhouses to ensure compliance with relevant hygiene regulations and to verify that meat produced is fit for human consumption. Officials conduct ante and post mortem inspection of animals, to ensure the removal of abnormalities present in the meat which could be indicative of a public health, animal health or animal welfare issue. Reducing levels of campylobacter contamination is one of the key strategic aims of the FSA. This will cover a range of projects, each occurring at different stages of the food chain, from farm to fork. As a result, the FSA will review current official controls in poultry slaughterhouses. Poultry inspection has traditionally involved looking for obvious visual defects which affect the appearance, but not necessarily the safety of the product. However, it is well known and accepted that as pathogens are microscopic, visual inspection is not well suited to identify cases of campylobacter, or other pathogens found on poultry. The new approach will involve better targeting and monitoring of the key areas where risk is highest, through inspection and verification activities. The FSA proposes that resident OVs in slaughterhouses should carry out these activities. More specifically, this will involve; — The monitoring of sampling and results of microbial testing — Checking a proportion of birds for faecal material and other defects — Examining plant and equipment process hygiene and HACCP based plans. — Ensuring the plant meets all regulatory requirements (e.g. reviewing records) — Ensure that an establishment effectively prevents contamination throughout the entire slaughter and dressing process By adopting a more effective system of verification of the management of microbiological risk in poultry plants which targets the highest risk areas, consumers are expected to benefit from a reduced rate of campylobacter contamination. FBO's are also expected the benefit from adopting the approach by developing an established campylobacter compliance history and enhanced reputation, which may be used to have a more targeted and proportionate official controls. The FSA wishes to commission social science research to establish how well the activities specified above are operating, and whether they have led to any changes in the attitudes and behaviours of FBO's, plant-staff, OV's and MHI's. Additionally, the survey aims to establish the perceived impacts of the new activities amongst these groups, in terms of any associated benefits / drawbacks.