Principles of hygienic design
The Meat and Poultry industry has some of the strictest operating conditions and most demanding processes in food manufacture and processing. Manufacturers are under increasing consumer and legislative pressure to ensure product quality and safety.
To prevent biological contamination of meat and poultry products, product inspection equipment must be designed and constructed with hygienic principles in mind.
Potential biological hazards in meat and poultry include bacteria, which cause the great majority of food borne illnesses. These bacteria are most likely to be found in slaughtered cattle, sheep and pigs, and chicken and turkeys. The most commonly found bacteria in the meat and poultry industry is Listeria, which can thrive in many common pieces of equipment used in meat processing plants. Machinery used for packaging can also transfer bacteria to products. When this happens, scrupulous sanitation must take place to eliminate Listeria.
The attached document explains how equipment should be designed following international sanitary design standards in order to prevent the growth and spread of biological contamination in meat and poultry plants.
Related links of interest
- • American Meat Institute
www.meatami.com
- • U.S. Department of Agriculture
www.usda.gov
- • USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Home
www.fsis.usda.gov
- • 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc.
www.3-a.org
- • NSF International
www.nsf.org