THE MICROBIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF BUTCHERY PRODUCTS AND BUTCHERS PREMISES IN THE UNITED-KINGDOM

In a study of 1400 manufacturing butchers' premises, 2330 raw prepared meats, 2192 cooked meats and 4635 environmental samples were examined . Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (O157 VTEC) was iso lated from five of 1400 (0.4%) premises. Three raw meat products conta ined O157 VTEC, and two raw meat preparation areas and two items of eq uipment used exclusively for cooked meats were contaminated with 0157 VTEC. Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. were detected in 84 of 23 30 (4%) and lj of 2330 (0.6%) raw meat products, respectively. Of the cooked meats examined, seven of 2192 (0.3%) samples were of unacceptab le microbiological quality and a further 352 (16%) were of unsatisfact ory quality. Of the unacceptable samples, two contained Salmonella spp . (Salm. typhimurium DT193, Salm. typhimurium PT104), three contained Staphylococcus aureus in excess of 10(4) cfu g(-1), and two contained E. coli in excess of 10(4) cfu g(-1). Neither Campylobacter spp. nor 0 157 VTEC were detected in cooked meats. In the majority of premises, r aw and unwrapped cooked meat products were physically separated in dis plays (94%) and refrigerators (81%), and dedicated equipment/utensils (69-89%) were used for raw meat and unwrapped cooked meat products and other ready-to-eat foods. In approximately half(48%), there were sepa rate serving counters and in 13%, separate staff for raw and cooked me ats. Most managers (75%) had received some food hygiene training. Howe ver, in 29% of premises, one or more members of staff handled raw and then cooked or ready-to-eat foods without washing their hands, and in 11%, one or more staff members handled raw and cooked meats directly w ith bare hands. A documented hazard analysis and critical control poin t (HACCP) system was present in 17% of premises and in a further 31%, an undocumented HACCP system was in place. The low incidence of food-b orne pathogens in cooked meat products and in the environmental areas examined, together with a high level of physical separation of raw and cooked meats, indicate that most manufacturing butchers' premises hav e appropriate physical control measures in place. However, HACCP and h ygienic practice are areas that require improvement to reduce the risk of cross-contamination with food-borne pathogens from raw to cooked m eats.