Sustainable Practices and Microbial Quality of Cattle Offal in Slaughterhouses

The goal of this study was evaluation of the microbiological quality of bovine offal (liver and tongue) in a vertical slaughterhouse, focusing on detection of pathogens and contamination levels during processing under different slaughter volumes. Out of 144 samples, 20.83% tested positive for presumptive Escherichia coli O157, 3.47% for Salmonella spp., and 25% for Staphylococcus aureus. While microbial counts were generally within acceptable EU regulatory limits, higher slaughter volumes were correlated with increased contamination. There was also an increase in microorganism levels across the offal processing stages. Preventing offal contamination requires stricter measures during slaughter procedures to ensure safety and reduce food losses to enhance sustainability in meat production.