APPLICATION AND EVALUATION OF MALE-SPECIFIC BACTERIOPHAGE AS A PROCESS INTEGRITY OR FECAL CONTAMINATION INDICATOR IN A PORK SLAUGHTERHOUSE ENVIRONMENT

A male-specific bacteriophage plaque assay was evaluated as a faecal c ontamination or process integrity indicator for aspects of the pork sl aughter process. Over 400 samples were tested including: sponge swabs from animal hauling trailer floors and dressed carcass surfaces; faeca l material; water from slaughter sites; and water from each stage of w astewater treatment. Bacteriophage were observed in wastewater, traile rs, slaughter process water and swine faeces. No bacteriophage were ob served on dressed carcasses. Numbers of phage plaque-forming units per gram or millilitre showed greater variation and were usually lower th an standard indicators, including total coliform or Escherichia roll c ounts. Among the applications studied, male-specific bacteriophage app ear to be best suited for process control verification for wastewater treatment.