What is it about?
The impact of pre-slaughter, slaughter and post-slaughter practices among slaughterhouses on animal welfare, meat quality/safety and public health in Southeast, Nigeria has not received suffient attention. Findings reported in this study show that inhumane pre-slaughter practices are widespread among slaughterhouses. It was also observed that slaughterhouse activites and meat handling practices had adverse effects on the quality of meats processed in slaughterhouses in Southeast Nigeria. Although more than 50% of the slaughterhouse workers knew how meat-borne zoonotic pathogens are transmitted during meat processing , practices that could aid the spread of such diseases were commonly observed among the workers. While the currently supply of meat in Nigeria does not satisfy the demand on the market, over the study period, meats valued at 235,000 USD were condemned during post-mortem inspection because they were found to be infected with zoonotic diseases.
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Why is it important?
The publication documented for the first time, the food animal slaughter process in Southeast Nigeria, and highlights short comings in the process that have implications for animal welfare, food safety and public health. Findings reported in this publication can be used by policy makers to develop training programmes for slaughterhouse workers, and to develop policies that promote the welfare of animals destined for slaughter, a phenomenon that has not received attention and yet has potential to impact the quality and safety of meat produced in slaughterhouses in Southeast, Nigeria
Perspectives
Poor slaughterhouse activities such as inhuman pre-slaughter and unhygienic meat processing practices are of significant public health concern, in that they negatively affect the quality and safety of meats supplied to the general public. Provision of modern slaughter facilities and strict enforcement of proper meat processing practices in Southeast, Nigeria have the potential to improve the quality and safety of meats processed and consequently the health of the public. The high number of slaughtered animals observed to be carrying zoonotic pathogens suggests that there is a need to improve the health of food-producing animals so as to reduce the burden of zoonotic diseases that could lead to condemnation of meat. This will consequently lead to a reduction in the wastage of meat that is currently taking place in slaughterhouses.
Dr Emmanuel Okechukwu Njoga
University of Nigeria
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Pre-slaughter, slaughter and post-slaughter practices of slaughterhouse workers in Southeast, Nigeria: Animal welfare, meat quality, food safety and public health implications, PLOS One, March 2023, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282418.
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