General hygiene rules in the meat industries

It is essential that all meat-processing operations, whether slaughtering, cutting or further processing, be carried out in a clean area and, as much as possible, that the products be protected from contamination from all sources.

When meat-processing operations are carried out within a facility specifically built and maintained for meat processing, sources of contamination can be much more easily and adequately controlled. The following requirements are considered essential to good sanitary preparation of meat and meat products.

FACILITIES

Floors. Brick, tile, smooth concrete or other impervious, waterproof materials are suitable for floors. In some areas wooden floors will suffice if they are tight, smooth, in good repair and properly maintained. Wooden floors are not suitable in areas where slaughtering or curing takes place and meat juices and moisture collect.

Drains. To carry away waste liquids, there should be sufficient drains of the proper size that are correctly located, trapped and vented. All floors should be sloped toward the drains. Generally for adequate waste disposal, one drain is needed for each 18 m₂ of floor space in slaughtering areas, and one drain for each 46m₂ in processing and other areas.

Walls. Glazed tile, smooth cement plaster, rustproof metal panels and smooth plastic panels that are properly caulked are all acceptable for walls in processing and refrigerated areas because they can all be effectively cleaned and sanitized. Other materials are also acceptable if they can be satisfactorily cleaned. In no instance should walls be made of materials that absorb moisture or other liquids. Ceilings must be tight, smooth and free from any scaling that may fall into the meat products, and should also be of moisture-resistant materials. All light bulbs should be covered with unbreakable material to prevent broken pieces from falling into the product.

Doors and doorways. All doorways through which the product must pass, whether suspended on rails or lying on hand trucks, should be wide enough to ensure that the meats never touch the doorways risking contamination. Wooden doors and doorways should be covered with metal with tightly soldered seams.

Water supply. Whether from individually owned and controlled sources such as wells or streams or from a municipal system, the water supply must be potable and abundant cold and hot water must be distributed to all parts of the operation.

Lighting. In all areas where products are critically examined during sanitary control or for cleanliness, 50-foot candles of light should be provided. For adequate visibility 20-foot candles of light should be provided wherever any processing occurs. In all other areas, such as dry storage, there should be sufficient light to keep the area orderly and sanitary.

Refrigeration. The main purpose of refrigeration is to cool the meat down after slaughter and to maintain it in a chilled state for shorter or longer storage periods and for cutting and further processing. If frozen storage is provided and utilized, it should be maintained at the lowest possible temperature for maximum shelf-life. Minus 18° to -12°C is satisfactory freezer storage; however, large quantities of product must either be quickfrozen prior to storage or thinly spread out to facilitate freezing. It is also recommended that all rooms where meat is processed, except in the slaughter and cooler storage areas, should be maintained at a temperature of about 12°C. In facilities where no refrigeration or cooling is furnished in processing areas, the handling of meat products is possible if all equipment contacting the products is throughly cleaned and sanitized from time to time (recommended every four hours). Frequent cleaning is necessary because in warmer temperatures bacteria multiply rapidly and the risk of product contamination increases.

EQUIPMENT

The equipment needed for converting livestock into meat products need not be elaborate and expensive. The amount of equipment will depend on the slaughtering and processing procedures employed. If possible, all equipment should be made of stainless steel or plastic, be rust resistant and easily cleaned and sanitized.

All equipment should be constructed of stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminium or approved plastic. Wooden tables are not acceptable because wood absorbs meat juices and fats and cannot be thoroughly cleaned. Hardwood cutting-boards maintained smooth and free from checks and cracks may be used. Cutting tables covered with other than hard plastic are not acceptable for contact with meat.

	2. A knife sterilizer mounted on a stainless steel sink should contain water at 82°C
	1. Sinks for workers’ use should be stainless steel with soap dispensers and paper towels at hand. This is an example of a stainless-steel sink with kneeoperated taps. Foot-operated types are also acceptable, but not handoperated types

All other equipment should be of the type that can be taken apart and thoroughly cleaned. Any stationary equipment must be located far enough from walls to permit proper cleaning around and under it.

In all areas there should be conveniently located foot-pedal or kneeoperated wash-basins with hot and cold water, soap and disposable towels (Fig. 1). In slaughtering areas, lavatories should be convenient to the dressing operations. Hot-water containers, either electric or steam-heated to 82°C, should be available for sanitizing tools contaminated with diseased material or other filth during dressing (Fig. 2).

Rails must be located high enough to prevent meat from touching the floor. For beef carcasses, the minimum height for rails should be 3.4 metres, while 2.4 metres is sufficiently high for small livestock such as goats, hogs and sheep. Rails should also be far enough away from fixed objects and walls to avoid contact.