Yefimova O. Scientific and experimentative basis of method for STEC determination for veterinary and sanitary control of beef

The thesis is devoted to studying the impact of production hygiene and sanitation indicators for microbiological safety of export intended raw beef in order improve the veterinary control in beef carcasses primary processing. On the basis of organoleptic, veterinary and sanitary, microbiological and molecular biological research there has been defined the level of raw beef compliance with the national official microbiological criteria; the level of hygiene and sanitation influence on raw beef compliance with the official microbiological criteria for production hygiene (AMFAnM, Enterobacteriaceae) has been defined. It has been found out that companies supplement the control in the 2 key points of the industrial process of carcasses initial processing to provide raw beef meeting the requirements for international standards: after evisceration and the final washing the carcasses. The STEC control can be complemented by testing for indicator organisms as Enterobacteriaceae or total coliforms, which is recommended as a means of monitoring process control, effectiveness of interventions applied and adherence to GMPs on a regularly basis. We has instituted a change in the standard sanitary operating procedures (SSOPs) at the high risk stages of production to improve on its overall intervention strategy to prevent fecal material to contaminating the carcass. Sampling strategy applied for strategic points in the process and the use of microbiological testing as a verification tool to demonstrate the efficacy of the control measures put in place to address STEC are recommended. Monitoring programs should include a system to record data and their evaluation, (performing trend analyses). This sampling plan was based a risk-analis approach such as seasonality research data. Generic E. coli can be a useful indicator to verify process control since it is ubiquitous in feces, and rapid enumeration test kits are available. Data analysis to determine patterns (or «trends») can be useful in determining situations where a potential loss of control is likely to occur. Data analysis should be used with a company as part of the overall food safety system and the traceability system. If non-intact beef carcass are found to be associated with a positive STEC result, the operator must notify in the official veterinary organization immediately and take appropriate corrective and preventative measures. Using the developed complex veterinary and sanitary measures is essential on traceability in every link of the chain, «from farm – to the table».