CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN MEAT INSPECTION

Edible tissues of food animals may contain residues of chemical substa nces harmful to human health, including animal drugs, mycotoxins and e nvironmental contaminants. Current meat inspection activities rely mai nly on visual inspection of the carcass and its offals at the slaughte rhouse, and fail to detect chemical residues and enteric pathogens tha t are considered as major health risks associated with meat consumptio n. In contrast to traditional approaches, application of the hazard an alysis critical control point (HACCP) to meat production and inspectio n, constitutes the best alternative to reduce the incidence of residue s and to improve meat safety. Application of HACCP to meat inspection virtually eliminates the need for finished product testing by identify ing the safety risks inherent in the meat production steps, from farm to table, and devising preventive measures which can be monitored in o rder to control the process. Accordingly, there is also a need for the development and application of analytical methods of enough sensitivi ty that allow real-time monitoring of chemical residues in live animal s and their tissues.