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© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Simple Summary

Food safety and quality are the main demands of consumers. Moreover, clear, truthful, and direct information about food, based on science, is essential to build trust among consumers and advance food safety. Traditionally, the role of the slaughterhouse is guaranteeing the safety of meat from the perspective of animal pathology and disease. However, it can be used for monitoring other aspects that influence not only the animal health (One Health), but also the food safety and public health. The present review discusses the role of the slaughterhouse to guarantee the food safety and monitor aspects, such as animal welfare, antimicrobial resistance, or prevalence of foodborne and zoonotic diseases.

Abstract

From the point of public health, the objective of the slaughterhouse is to guarantee the safety of meat in which meat inspection represent an essential tool to control animal diseases and guarantee the public health. The slaughterhouse can be used as surveillance center for livestock diseases. However, other aspects related with animal and human health, such as epidemiology and disease control in primary production, control of animal welfare on the farm, surveillance of zoonotic agents responsible for food poisoning, as well as surveillance and control of antimicrobial resistance, can be monitored. These controls should not be seen as a last defensive barrier but rather as a complement to the controls carried out on the farm. Regarding the control of diseases in livestock, scientific research is scarce and outdated, not taking advantage of the potential for disease control. Animal welfare in primary production and during transport can be monitored throughout ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection at the slaughterhouse, providing valuable individual data on animal welfare. Surveillance and research regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at slaughterhouses is scarce, mainly in cattle, sheep, and goats. However, most of the zoonotic pathogens are sensitive to the antibiotics studied. Moreover, the prevalence at the slaughterhouse of zoonotic and foodborne agents seems to be low, but a lack of harmonization in terms of control and communication may lead to underestimate its real prevalence.

Details

Title
The Importance of the Slaughterhouse in Surveilling Animal and Public Health: A Systematic Review
Author
García-Díez, Juan 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Saraiva, Sónia 1 ; Moura, Dina 2 ; Grispoldi, Luca 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Beniamino Terzo Cenci-Goga 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Saraiva, Cristina 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), Portugal 
 Divisão de Intervenção de Alimentação e Veterinária de Vila Real e Douro Sul, Direção de Serviços de Alimentação e Veterinária da Região Norte, Direção Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária, Lugar de Codessais, 5000-567 Vila Real, Portugal 
 Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy 
 Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy; Faculty of Veterinary Science, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa 
 Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), Portugal; Faculty of Veterinary Science, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa 
First page
167
Publication year
2023
Publication date
2023
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
23067381
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2779631053
Copyright
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.