Abattoir-specific ways of implementing risk-based meat inspection methods in Germany

In the European Union serological and/or bacteriological monitoring results on zoonoses are to be taken into account for the risk assessment of slaughter pig herds in the framework of the risk-based meat inspection. Furthermore, the European food safety strategy pursues the additional goal to increase herd health. The new understanding of “One Health” (healthy animals and healthy people) and the new paradigm of assuring safe food (responsibility of food producers, prevention, risk-orientation, process-optimization, and continuous improvement) require new concepts for replacing the traditional meat inspection at the slaughter line with a risk-based meat inspection focusing at the whole food chain, and for modern and proactive veterinary diagnostics