Co. Gill et Lp. Baker, ASSESSMENT OF THE HYGIENIC PERFORMANCE OF A SHEEP CARCASS DRESSING PROCESS, Journal of food protection, 61(3), 1998, pp. 329-333
Swab samples were obtained from the surfaces of randomly selected carc
asses passing through a sheep carcass-dressing process. A single sampl
e was obtained from a randomly selected site on the surface of each ca
rcass. Twenty-five such samples were collected at each of four stages
in the process. The aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and Escherichia coli
recovered from each sample were enumerated. Values for the mean log an
d standard deviation of each set of 25 log(10) values were calculated
on the assumption that the log values were normally distributed. The l
og of the arithmetic mean was estimated from the mean log and standard
deviation values for each set. The results showed that bacteria, incl
uding coliforms that were largely E. coli, were deposited in high numb
ers during skinning operations, mainly on the butts and shoulders of c
arcasses. The mean numbers of coliforms and E. coil on carcasses were
little affected by eviscerating and trimming operations, although they
were redistributed from the sites they occupied after skinning. Total
counts were redistributed and augmented by eviscerating and trimming
operations. Washing reduced the log numbers of all of the bacteria by
approximately 0.5. The general hygienic characteristics of the sheep c
arcass dressing process were similar to those of a previously examined
beef carcass-dressing process.