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Efficacy of current EC meat inspection procedures and some proposed revisions with respect to microbiological safety: a critical review.

This paper presents an evaluation of the current EC meat inspection procedures, and some of their proposed revisions, in relation to their efficacy in assuring the microbiological safety and quality of meat, and the difficulties for health authorities and industry in providing such an assurance. It is concluded that neither the current nor the proposed revisions of ante and post mortem meat inspection procedures alone are sufficient, and that only integrated approaches, applied to each step of animal and meat production, will lead to better quality meat. Furthermore, for the design of a really effective and flexible long-term system of safety and quality assurance it is necessary to undertake a formal quantitative assessment of risk.

Animals↗

Incidence and relationship of group D streptococci with other indicator organisms in meats.

Raw and processed meats were analyzed for presumptive group D streptococci using KF streptococcus agar. Counts were compared with coliform, presumptive Escherichia coli, and Enterobacteriaceae counts but no meaningful relationships were observed. Results indicated that group D streptococci and E. coli type I were principally contaminants from the packing plant, rather than at retail level. The predominating group D streptococcus in both beef and pork cuts was Streptococcus faecalis, while in processed meat (bologna), the predominating group D streptococci were Streptococcus faecium var. durans and Streptococcus faecium. Streptococcus bovis was not detected among the isolates from any meat samples. Marked differences were noted in numbers of group D streptococci in processed meat from different manufacturers. The results did not support the use of group D streptococci as alternative indicator organisms for meats. However, the association of group D streptococci with packing plant contamination may prove to be of value.

Animals↗

Impaired renal response to a meat meal in insulin-dependent diabetes: role of glucagon and prostaglandins.

The renal response to 100 g/1.73 m2 protein load in the form of a meat meal was studied in 19 normal subjects and 35 normoalbuminuric insulin-dependent diabetic patients (IDDs) under conditions of sustained euglycemia. The area under the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) curve rose above base line by 1,904 +/- 292 in normals and 502 +/- 237 ml/1.73 m2 in IDDs (P less than 0.01). The meat meal induced a greater increment in the area under the glucagon curve in normals (14,930 +/- 186 pg.ml-1.min-1) than in IDDs (7,227 +/- 67, P less than 0.01); similarly urinary excretion of prostaglandin E2 and 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha rose by 119 and 98%, respectively, in normals but only by 2% (P less than 0.01 vs. normals) and 10% (P less than 0.01 vs. normals) in IDDs. The fractional albumin clearance rose by 102 and 251% in normals and IDDs, respectively. In five normal subjects indomethacin administration abolished the GFR, glucagon, prostaglandin, and albuminuric response to meat ingestion. Glucagon replacement under indomethacin treatment failed to restore these responses. In five diabetic patients, selected for having a flat glucagon and GFR response to a meat meal, replacement of glucagon to postprandial levels increased urinary vasodilatory prostaglandins and restored a normal GFR response. Thus in normal subjects renal vasodilatory prostaglandins appear to be the final effector of the renal hemodynamic and albuminuric response to a meat meal. The prostaglandin increase is likely to be mediated under physiological conditions by a glucagon rise, which, however, has no effect per se on renal hemodynamics.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire with a meat-cooking and heterocyclic amine module.

The nutrient and heterocyclic amine (HCA) intake of 165 healthy participants was assessed using a self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), which included a meat-cooking practices module. A database containing the HCA [2-amino-3,8-dimethylimadazo [4,5-f] quinoxaline (MeIQx) and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimadazo [4,5-b] pyridine (PhIP)] composition of various types of meat, cooked by different methods and to varying degrees, was developed and validated in conjunction with this module. The relative validity of dietary and HCA intake estimated by the FFQ was investigated using multiple food diaries (3 sets of 4 nonconsecutive day diaries completed over a 3-month period) as the reference method. Crude correlation coefficients of HCA intake assessed by the FFQ and food diaries were 0.43 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.30-0.55] for MeIQx and 0.22 (95% CI 0.07-0.36) for PhIP intake. Deattenuated correlations were 0.60 (95% CI 0.49-0.69) and 0.36 (95% CI 0.22-0.49), respectively. Absolute MeIQx and PhIP intake was, however, underestimated by the FFQ (21.9 and 78.1 ng/day) compared with the food diaries (34.9 and 263.8 ng/day). The FFQ underestimated total red meat intake, the percentage of consumers, and the median intake of roast/baked and microwaved red meat. PhIP intake was severely underestimated by the FFQ and was most likely because of an underestimation of the percentage of people who cooked chicken using PhIP-producing cooking methods such as broiling and pan-frying. Additionally, the FFQ overestimated the percentage of consumers of baked chicken, a cooking method that produces less PhIP. In conclusion, although the FFQ and meat module underestimated absolute MeIQx and PhIP intake, its ability to rank individuals according to intake was acceptable.

Adult↗

Hypotheses concerning roles of dietary energy, cured meat, and serum tocopherols in adult glioma development.

We conducted a pilot study to determine whether: (1) high levels of energy intake increase glioma risk; (2) the previously observed relationship between cured meat consumption and glioma risk can be attributed to confounding by energy intake, and (3) alpha-tocopherol modifies caloric intake and gamma-tocopherol modifies cured meat consumption. We identified 40 age-sex-race matched glioma sets, and obtained serum vitamin C and alpha- and gamma-tocopherol levels for 23 of these sets. Glioma risk increased with quartile of total dietary energy adjusted for fat, protein, and nitrite-containing meat consumption (odds ratio = 1.0, 2.7, 5.8, 8.2; p value for trend test = 0.02). Although positive associations between individual cured meats and glioma risk decreased when adjusted for caloric intake, the small sample size makes it difficult to interpret the results. Serum alpha-tocopherol appeared to modify the effect of calories and serum gamma-tocopherol may modify the effect of cured meat on glioma risk. While the observed interaction is predicted by experimental research, our findings are based on small numbers. Larger studies are needed to further evaluate our preliminary findings.

Adult↗

A meta-analysis of maternal cured meat consumption during pregnancy and the risk of childhood brain tumors.

OBJECTIVE: N-Nitroso compounds (NOCs) are recognized neural carcinogens in animal models and are suspected human carcinogens. A meta-analysis was performed examining the possible association of maternal intake of cured meat (an important source of dietary NOCs) during pregnancy and the risk of pediatric brain tumors. METHODS: Data from epidemiological studies were pooled using a general variance-based meta-analytic method employing confidence intervals described by Greenland in 1986. The outcome of interest was a summary relative risk (RR) reflecting the risk of childhood brain tumor (CBT) development associated with maternal intake of cured meats during pregnancy. Sensitivity analyses were performed when necessary to explain any observed statistical heterogeneity. RESULTS: Seven observational studies were found that met the protocol-specified inclusion criteria. Analysis for heterogeneity demonstrated a lack of statistical heterogeneity (p = 0.59), indicating that the data could be statistically combined. Pooling data from the 6 reports containing data on maternal cured meat intake of all types yielded an RR of 1.68 (1.30- 2.17), being a statistically significant result. Analyzing CBT risk by type of cured meat ingested showed that hot dog consumption increased CBT risk by 33% (1.08-1.66), with a similar increase shown by frequent ingestion of sausage, i.e. 44%. CONCLUSION: The data provide support for the suspected causal association between ingestion of NOCs from cured meats during pregnancy and subsequent CBT in offspring. Limitations in study design preclude definitive conclusions, but the relationship warrants exploration via additional observational and laboratory-based studies.

Brain Neoplasms↗

High Toxoplasma seroprevalence associated with meat eating habits of locals in Nepal.

A serosurvey of Toxoplasma gondii infection in apparently healthy subjects (n = 404) living in Achham (n = 215) and Dang (n = 189) districts in western Nepal was carried out. An interview with 249 participants, each representing a household, was also conducted. This interview pertained to their meat eating habits and the keeping of cats in their houses. Toxoplasma antibodies were detected by using the microlatex agglutination test. The overall seroprevalence was 65.3% with no significant difference in the two districts (Achham: 66.9% and Dang: 63.5%) included (p = 0.546). Females and the Indo-Aryan ethnic-group showed marginally higher prevalence compared with their male (p = 0.545) and Tibeto-Burman (p = 0.075) counterparts. The majority of the infections was found to have occurred during childhood. The frequency of meat eating in western and eastern regions differed greatly (p = 0.000) with the people in the eastern region being frequent meat eaters than those in the western region. About one-third of the subjects, all Indo-Aryans, in the western region had the raw meat eating habit but none in the eastern region. Approximately 7.0% of households in both western and eastern regions kept cats. The present findings demonstrated a typical role of meat eating habits of people in the high Toxoplasma seroprevalence in Nepal.

Adolescent↗

Estimation of the exposure of the French population to the BSE agent: comparison of the 1980-95 consumption of beef products containing mechanically recovered meat in France and the UK, by birth cohort and gender.

Assuming that human exposure to BSE was through beef mechanically recovered meat (MRM) consumed as burgers and other meat products, we estimated the French consumption of different food items containing beef MRM, and compared these consumptions for French and British populations. To estimate consumption of meat products containing bovine MRM, we used dietary data from national individual and household food surveys conducted between 1980 and 1995. After reconciliation of consumption data between the available surveys and calendar year adjustments, we simulated consumption of one-thousandth of the French population. Consumption was estimated by birth cohort and gender, and for the periods 1980-89 and 1990-95 separately. Data showed that burgers (including manufactured minced meat) represented around 75-80% of the individual consumption of meat products containing MRM, and that consumption of burgers increased by 40% over the 1980-95 period. In all age groups, consumption was higher in males than in females. In both genders, the 1940-69 birth cohort had the highest mean consumption of burgers and other beef products containing MRM. Similar findings have been reported for the UK population. Estimated consumption of bovine MRM per calendar year increased markedly over the study period, concomitantly with an increase of bovine carcasses imported from the UK. Comparison of the 1980-1995 pattern of bovine MRM consumption in the UK and France indicated thatthis consumption peaked later in France than in the UK. This difference might result in different temporal pattern of vCJD incidence.

Adolescent↗

The influence of meat on nonheme iron absorption in infants.

During weaning the infant has a high iron requirement, and highly available dietary iron is needed to ensure optimal iron status. Muscle tissue has been identified as an enhancer of nonheme iron absorption in adults, although the influence of meat on nonheme iron absorption in infants has not been previously reported. The effect of the addition of 25 g of meat (lean beef) on nonheme iron absorption from a home-prepared vegetable purée meal (80 g of vegetables) was investigated in infants in the present study. The meals did not differ in their contents of other known enhancers or inhibitors of nonheme iron absorption. Incorporation of stable isotopes of iron (57Fe and 58Fe) into red blood cells 14 d after intake was used to measure iron absorption, using a cross-over design in eight healthy infants 43-49 wk of age. Nonheme iron absorption was significantly increased (p = 0.002) from the vegetable purée with added meat (geometric mean 15.0%) compared with the puréed vegetables (geometric mean 9.9%). These results thus suggest that meat is also an enhancer of nonheme iron absorption in infants and that nonheme iron absorption from weaning foods can be increased by the addition of meat.

Adult↗

Effect of vegetables, tea, and soy on endogenous N-nitrosation, fecal ammonia, and fecal water genotoxicity during a high red meat diet in humans.

Red meat increases colonic N-nitrosation, and this may explain the positive epidemiological relationship between red meat intake and colorectal cancer risk. Vegetables, tea, and soy have been shown to block N-nitroso compound (NOC) formation and are associated with protection against colorectal cancer. To determine whether these supplements affect fecal NOC excretion during consumption of a high red meat (420 g/day) diet, 11 male volunteers were studied over a randomized series of 15-day dietary periods. Seven of these subjects completed a further dietary period to test the effects of soy (100 g/day). Soy significantly suppressed fecal apparent total NOC (ATNC) concentration (P = 0.02), but supplements of vegetables (400 g/day as 134 g broccoli, 134 g brussels sprouts, and 134 g petits pois) and tea extract (3 g/day) did not affect mean levels of fecal ATNC, nitrogen and ammonia excretion, and fecal water genotoxicity. However, fecal weight was increased (P < 0.001) and associated with reduced transit time (r = 0.594, P < 0.0001), so that contact between ATNC, nitrite, and ammonia and the large bowel mucosa would have been reduced. Longer transit times were associated with elevated fecal ATNC concentrations (r = 0.42, P = 0.002). Fecal nitrite was significantly suppressed during the tea supplement compared with the meat-only (P = 0.0028) and meat + vegetables diets (P = 0.005 for microgram NO2/g).

Adult↗

Production of dark firm dry meat in slaughtered pigs with so-called liver degeneration characterized by yellowish discoloration and high lipid contents.

The livers which are discolored yellowish and have a large amount of lipids (liver degeneration) are frequently observed in slaughtered pigs. Dark firm dry (DFD) meat and liver degeneration have a common etiological agent of exhaustion in pigs before slaughter. The correlation between them was examined. In 65 cases of 77 slaughtered pigs with the degenerative liver, which contained more than 6.6% total lipids of liver wet weight, the carcasses showed early rigor mortis and the higher final pH above 6.0. R values of the muscles, which indicated the decrease of ATP, were higher. The meat had a DFD appearance and the muscle fibers had no tendency to shrink. These data showed that the pigs with liver degeneration produced DFD meat at a high rate. In 4 cases of 5 pigs exhausted experimentally by 53 hr fasting and hard exercise before slaughter, both liver degeneration and DFD meat were produced simultaneously. The livers of them were discolored and contained about 8.0% or more total lipids. The carcasses of them showed early rigor mortis and the higher final pH above 6.0. From these data, it was suggested that the exhaustion in pigs before slaughter caused both liver degeneration and DFD meat.

Animals↗

"Unfit for human consumption": tuberculosis and the problem of infected meat in late Victorian Britain.

By the 1890s, questions about tuberculous meat in Britain served to transform the issue of infected meat from an ill-defined to a concrete threat. Veterinarians, building on European inoculation (or transmission) experiments, played a prominent part in constructing the debate, with medical officers of health following. With the emergence of bacteriology in the 1880s, a consensus emerged about the dangers of tuberculous meat: Robert Koch's identification of the tubercle bacillus in 1882, and the connection he saw between bovine tuberculosis and the disease in man, provided confirmation of the disease's danger to man. It was from this point that veterinary and public health interests diverged. Whereas a general agreement had been reached, the extent of the problem remained open to doubt. Confusion revolved around two issues: the localization of infection, and the question of cooking. The latter was thought to make tuberculous meat "safe," as attention shifted to the problem of milk; whereas the former frustrated efforts to combat the sale of meat showing signs of infection.

Animals↗

Health hazards to the small ruminant population of the Middle East posed by the trade of sheep and goat meat.

Meat consumers in the Middle East traditionally prefer meat from freshly slaughtered animals to that from chilled or frozen carcasses. Consequently, meat trade in the Middle East is based mainly upon the importation of large quantities of live animals rather than of sheep and goat carcasses. Furthermore, as it seems that pathogens remain viable for longer periods of time in live animals than in meat, the probability of pathogens spreading in the Middle East as a result of contaminated small ruminant carcasses is lower than the probability of pathogens being imported through live animals. With suitable environmental conditions, however, there are two livestock diseases which may spread through meat, namely: foot and mouth disease (FMD) and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Foot and mouth disease virus which might have survived in the bones and offal of animals slaughtered in FMD-infected areas may be transmitted to animals in other regions. This occurs if carcass waste matter is not properly disposed of and is a particular problem where scavenging animals may carry away the infective material. Due to the low standards in garbage and sewage collection methods in many regions of the Middle East, such an eventuality should never be overlooked. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies may be introduced into sensitive animal populations if the waste matter of slaughtered sheep and goats is processed into animal feed. This would occur if animal products which have not undergone treatment to inactivate the scrapie agent are used in the rendering process. The risk of introducing TSEs into livestock populations of the Middle East in this way is very low, since the rendering technology and the use of animal waste matter as feed are not part of the local traditional husbandry practices.

Animal Husbandry↗

The potential risks to animal health from imported sheep and goat meat.

Alerted by outbreaks of foot and mouth disease and the swine fevers which have been attributed to international trade in meat, regulators have tended to adopt conservative policies with respect to the importation of meat. However, for disease introduction to occur as a result of meat importation, a number of criteria must be satisfied. A qualitative assessment of the risks posed by sheep and goat meat leads to the conclusion that, with the possible exception of foot and mouth disease there is little likelihood that Office International des Epizooties List A or List B diseases would be spread through trade in adequately matured meat obtained from animals which have passed veterinary ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections.

Animals↗

Repeatability of taste panel tenderness scores and their relationships to objective pig meat quality traits.

Repeatabilities of 12 meat quality measurements were calculated as a value for the accuracy of those measurements. Sixty-four Duroc and Dutch Yorkshire boars and gilts were slaughtered during 8 wk. The repeatabilities between carcass halves within animals were .53 for repeated taste panel tenderness scores based on 12.4 observations of different panelists per mean, .08 for two repeated tenderness scores of different panelists within one animal, .50 for two repeated tenderness scores of one panelist within one animal, and 41 for repeated measurements of maximum shear force. Repeatabilities of other meat quality traits ranged from .29 for cooking loss to .76 for the Minolta L* color coordinate. The phenotypic correlation between tenderness assessed by a panel and maximum shear force was -.50. The phenotypic correlation between those traits corrected for measurement errors was -.74. A correlation of zero was found between the total amount of collagen and meat tenderness, between amount of intramuscular fat and tenderness, and between ultimate pH and tenderness. The other correlations with meat tenderness ranged from -.00 for Minolta b* color coordinate to -.44 for drip loss. It was concluded that the measurement of maximum shear force can be used as an effective indicator of pig meat tenderness.

Animals↗

Influence of slaughter weight on growth and carcass characteristics, commercial cutting and curing yields, and meat quality of barrows and gilts from two genotypes.

Pigs representing two crossbred genotypes, a breeding company hybrid (BCH) and a three breed cross (Hampshire x [Yorkshire x Duroc]) (HYD) were evaluated at five slaughter weights (SLW): 100, 115, 130, 145, and 160 kg. A total of 160 pigs were grown in like-sex (barrows [B] or gilts [G]), like-genotype groups, with four pigs/group, from 60 kg live weight. A corn-soybean meal-based diet was available on an ad libitum basis (15.8% crude protein, 3,300 kcal/kg ME). One-half of the pigs from each group (80 pigs) were slaughtered for carcass and meat quality evaluation. Genotype BCH grew faster, had lower backfat depths in the loin and lumbar regions, and a smaller loin eye area than HYD, but both groups had a similar gain:feed ratio. Few consistent genotype differences in cutting and curing yields and meat quality were observed. Differences between sexes for growth and carcass traits were generally in agreement with previous research; however, the magnitude of the differences was small. There were few nonlinear regressions involving SLW and limited differences between genotypes or sexes in the slopes of the linear regressions. Increases in SLW were associated with increases in feed intake, backfat depth and loin' eye area, and minimal changes in growth rate or gain:feed. Percentage of loin increased and ham, shoulder, and spare rib percentages decreased with slaughter weight. The weight of trimmed, boneless cuts increased with slaughter weight, but percentage trimmed, boneless cuts was reduced. Curing yields for belly increased with slaughter weight. Changes in meat quality with increasing slaughter weight were relatively small. Longissimus lumborum fat content increased and moisture content decreased with slaughter weight. These results suggest that modern genotypes can be slaughtered at live weights up to 160 kg with limited impact on growth performance, commercial meat yields, or meat quality characteristics.

Abattoirs↗

Use of a raw meat-based diet or a dry kibble diet for sand cats (Felis margarita).

Limited information is available on the utilization of different types of diets by captive exotic felid species. Utilization of diets by small exotic felids may differ depending on the diet fed. Eight sand cats (Felis margarita), which are small, 2- to 4-kg cats, were used to examine the digestibility of two types of diets: a raw meat-based diet and a dry kibble diet. Dry matter, crude protein and energy intakes and digestibilities were evaluated. Digestibilities for dry matter, energy, and crude protein were 83.5 +/- 4.8, 89.6 +/- 5.2, 92.4 +/- 5.3% for the raw meat-based diet and 72.7 +/- 12.3, 76.8 +/- 14.5, and 77.9 +/- 13.5% for the kibble diet. Physiological variables also were examined and included plasma taurine, vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, beta-carotene, calcium, and phosphorus. Plasma taurine means were 91.4 +/- 8.4 mumol/L in cats consuming the raw meat-based diet and 248.0 +/- 23.2 mumol/L in cats consuming the kibble diet. Plasma phosphorus was 5.2 +/- .1 and 4.5 +/- .1 mg/dL, respectively, in cats consuming raw meat-based and kibble diets. beta-Carotene was 25.2 +/- 2.9 and 2.9 +/- .3 micrograms/dL, respectively, for cats consuming the raw meat-based and kibble diets. These results indicate that diets formulated for small captive exotic felid species should be evaluated with respect to diet type and nutrient utilization.

Animal Feed↗

Mapping quantitative trait loci for carcass and meat quality traits in a wild boar x Large White intercross.

An intercross between wild boar and a domestic Large White pig population was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for body proportions, weight of internal organs, carcass composition, and meat quality. The results concerning growth traits and fat deposition traits have been reported elsewhere. In the present study, all 200 F2 animals, their parents, and their grandparents were genotyped for 236 markers. The marker genotypes were used to calculate the additive and dominance coefficients at fixed positions in the genome of each F2 animal, and the trait values were regressed onto these coefficients in intervals of 1 cM. In addition, the effect of proportion of wild boar alleles was tested for each chromosome. Significant QTL effects were found for percentage lean meat and percentage lean meat plus bone in various cuts, proportion of bone in relation to lean meat in ham, muscle area, and carcass length. The significant QTL were located on chromosomes 2, 3, 4, and 8. Each QTL explained 9 to 16% of the residual variance of the traits. Gene action for most QTL was largely additive. For meat quality traits, there were no QTL that reached the significance threshold. However, the average proportion of wild boar alleles across the genome had highly significant effects on reflectance and drip loss. The results show that there are several chromosome regions with a considerable effect on carcass traits in pigs.

Animals↗