Assessment t of f Meat t Hygi iene St tat tues at t Assabal loga Sl laught terhouse i in Khart toum St tat te, , Sudan

This study was an attempt to evaluate the status of meat hygiene in four slaughterhouses (Alkadaro, Ghanawa, Alhuda and Assabaloga) in Khartoum State. These slaughterhouses are working inthe field of local and export oriented carcasses. The assessment was based on isolation and identification of bacteria from mutton intended for export (fresh, chilled and after unloading at airport). Assessment was also based on infrastructure of these slaughterhouses (availability and condition of a diagnostic laboratory, number and condition of refrigerators, condition of slaughter halls, number of veterinarians, technicians and laborers, application of hygienic measures to inspect and handle parts of slaughtered animals, and determination of reasons of condemnation of livers, lungs, hearts and heads, which may have impact on carcass contamination). A total of 175 swab samples were made from four areas of the carcass at three stages: at the slaughter hall (75 swabs), from cold carcasses (50 swabs) and after unloading at Khartoum airport (50 swabs). Swabs were taken only from mutton of Assabaloga slaughterhouse because at that time the other slaughterhouses were not working for export. The swabs were subjected to aerobic culture using appropriate media and then identification of isolates. The isolates were identified according to their microscopic, cultural and biochemical properties. Staphylococcus epidermidis(16%),Micrococcus luteus(10.7%),Kurthia zopfil(8%),Micrococcus roseus (6.7%) andMicrococcus kristinae(2.7%) were isolated from fresh carcasses. Kurthia zopfil (16%), Aerococcus viridans (14%), Micrococcus varians (12%), Micrococcus kristinae (12%), Micrococcus luteus(10%) and Micrococcus roseus (6%) were isolated from chilled carcasses. Kurthia zopfil(22%),Micrococcus varians (14%), Micrococcus luteus(14%),Micrococcus kristinae(10%), Aerococcus viridans (10%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis(4%) were isolated from carcasses after unloading at the airport. The least contamination was in the fresh carcasses and the highest was in carcasses after unloading at the airport. From a retrospective data of the year 2007 obtained from the four slaughterhouses, reasons for condemnation of major organs at post-mortem, xi calculated from the total number of animals slaughtered in this year, were: abscess in heads (0.3% – 5.0%), fasciola in livers (0.0% - 2.0%), necrosis in livers (1.6% – 10%), pneumonia in lungs (0.6% – 5.0%), cysticerci in hearts (0.0% - 5.0%) and adhesion in hearts (0.1% – 0.2%). These reasons, as stated by the authorized veterinarians in these slaughterhouses, are almost the same as those prevailing during the period of sampling in this study (April, 2008 to May, 2009). Each of the slaughterhouses had acceptable diagnostic laboratory, clean, spacious and well ventilated slaughter hall (s), reasonable number ofrefrigerators, which were of good condition, and reasonable number of veterinarians and assisting cadre. The temperature of the refrigerated vehicles was 3°C - 4°C and the carcasses temperature was 2°C - 3°C and all transporting vehicles were in good condition. There was no bad odor inthe refrigerated carcasses and no separation of liquids. This study concluded that meat hygiene status in these slaughterhouses was good and the isolated bacteria were eithernon-pathogenic or oportunistic pathogens, and it is unlikely that these bacteria werefrom infected organs at post mortem examination, but from pitfalls in application of hygienic measures during skinning and handling of organs and carcasses