Association between meat hygiene and chicken slaughterhouse management in Thailand during 2019-2020

Abstract

Poultry meat is considered one of the most high-quality sources of protein and essential nutrients for human growth and development. However, it has been recognized as a potential vehicle for the transmission of certain dangerous foodborne pathogens including Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. In the production chain, from farm to consumer, slaughterhouses are one of the potential elements of bacterial contamination in meat and its products. Thus, this study aimed to identify risk factors that were associated with the non-compliant status of bacterial contamination on chicken meat from slaughterhouses in Thailand. A total of 507 meat samples for microbiological analysis and data from the questionnaire survey including slaughterhouse management were performed by the veterinary authorities at chicken slaughterhouses (n = 507) across Thailand. The association between potential risk factors and non-compliant status of bacterial contamination on chicken meat was assessed using chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression. The percentages of the non-compliant status associated with aerobic plate count, APC, (23.47%), coliforms (14.40%), E. coli (30.77%), Enterococcus spp. (26.82%), S. aureus (7.49%) and Salmonella spp. (34.71%) were detected.