Food Safety Interventions Information
Click on the links below to access information on interventions available at each stage of the meat production process
| Contents Page | Introduction to Interventions | On Farm | Processing - hide on | Processing - hide off | Chilling | Packaging or Retail |
Interventions used during meat processing, packaging or retail
Interventions suitable for controlling pathogens in trimmings and ground meat include acidified sodium chlorite and organic acids. Modification of packaging atmospheres can be used to suppress microbial growth, and various additives can be used in meat products to the same end. Carbon dioxide is commonly used in modified atmosphere packs to suppress microbial growth. “Liquid smoke” additives have been advocated in the US, but are prohibited in the EU.
Contamination in processed and ready-to-eat (RTE) meats often occurs after cooking during packing and re-slicing. Post-package food safety technologies such as in-package thermal pasteurisation and irradiation, and formulating meat products with antimicrobial additives are common approaches to control pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes. The effectiveness of in-package pasteurization in inactivating pathogenic organisms depends upon package size and the roughness of the product surface as well as the time or temperature of the treatment.
A number of options are available and under development. Click on the links below to find out more about each of the interventions listed.
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