CLEANING AND DISINFECTION PRACTICE IN THE MEAT INDUSTRIES OF EUROPE

The application and efficacy of cleaning and disinfection methods are reviewed, together with the relevant European and French legislation. European Commission Hygiene Directive 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993 propos es the adoption of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) for the meat industry, and this includes cleaning and disinfection. I t is necessary to organise a team for washing, cleaning rinsing, disin fection and final rinsing; three different types of organisation are c ompared. Application of HACCP and its contribution to the shelf life o f products and their contamination with Listeria monocytogenes is disc ussed in the light of practical experience with poultry meat and cured pork products. Various means of verifying the efficacy of cleaning an d disinfection (turbidimetry, adenosine triphosphate assay and macrosc opic observation) are compared with the techniques of conventional mic robiology. The authors conclude that cleaning and disinfection are ess ential for application of HACCP to the meat industry.