Official controls on traditional and ethnic butchers: evidence gathered to improve food safety

Submitted: 30 December 2022
Accepted: 24 July 2023
Published: 1 September 2023
Abstract Views: 1089
PDF: 188
HTML: 8
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

Regulation 2017/625 allows and encourages the use of rating schemes as a means to increase transparency in the agri-food chain. Since its implementation, a need for greater fairness, consistency, transparency, and objectivity in official controls has been reported by member states. The present study compares the results of inspection activities concerning food hygiene principles in ethnic and traditional butcheries. The sample consists of 50 food business activities randomly selected from traditional and ethnic butcheries subject to official control in Turin from January to June 2019. Our objectives were to evaluate the degree of awareness and training of food business operators (FBOs) and to compare the written records drawn up by the competent authorities (CAs) during official inspections to evaluate their completeness and uniformity. The presence of old equipment is a common finding in both traditional and ethnic butchers. This could lead to ineffective cleaning operations and inappropriate functioning, which in turn could lead to a dangerous loss of control over products’ temperatures. Ethnic butchers showed a higher number of non-compliances for documentary examination, the presence/correctness of self-control plans, and management aspects such as by-product disposal and personnel hygiene. Training is the key point for both CAs and FBOs; inspectors must maintain their professionalism but also adhere to harmonized and intellectually supported criteria, and FBOs must prevent improper behavior. Eventually, we propose strategies to increase the efficacy and homogeneity of records, together with suggestions on how to implement training both for consultants and operators.

Dimensions

Altmetric

PlumX Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

Conferenza Stato-Regioni, 2012a. Conferenza Stato-Regioni 117/CSR del 25/07/2012. Intesa tra il Governo, le Regioni e le Province autonome di Trento e Bolzano sul documento recante “Linee guida sui criteri per l’individuazione delle non conformità negli stabilimenti del settore carne e latte e verifica della completezza ed efficacia delle azioni correttive adottate dall’operatore del settore alimentare”. [Regulation in Italian].
Conferenza Stato-Regioni, 2012b. Conferenza Stato-Regioni 147/CSR del 25/07/2012. Intesa tra il Governo, le Regioni e le Province autonome di Trento e Bolzano sul documento recante “Linee guida sui criteri per la predisposizione dei piani di autocontrollo per l’identificazione e la gestione dei pericoli negli stabilimenti che trattano alimenti di origine animale, di cui al Regolamento (CE) n. 853/2004”. [Regulation in Italian].
European Parliament and Council, 2002. Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. In: Official Journal, L 31/1, 01/02/2002.
European Parliament and Council, 2004a. Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs. In: Official Journal, L 139/1, 30/04/2004.
European Parliament and Council, 2004b. Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin. In: Official Journal, L 139/55, 30/04/2004.
European Parliament and Council, 2009. Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 (Animal by-products Regulation). In: Official Journal, L 300/1, 14/11/2009.
European Parliament and Council, 2017. Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1069/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regulation). In: Official Journal, L 95/1, 07/04/2017.
Ismaïl R, Aviat F, Michel V, Le Bayon I, Gay-Perret P, Kutnik M, Fédérighi M (2013). Methods for recovering microorganisms from solid surfaces used in the food industry: a review of the literature. Int J Environ Res Public Health 10:6169-83.
Lundén J, Vanhanen V, Myllymäki T, Laamanen E, Kotilainen K, Hemminki K, 2014. Temperature control efficacy of retail refrigeration equipment. Food Control 45:109-14.
Niyonzima E, Ongol MP, Brostaux Y, Korsak N, Daube G, Kimonyo A, Sindic M, 2018. Meat retail conditions within the establishments of Kigali city (Rwanda): bacteriological quality and risk factors for Salmonella occurrence. Trop Anim Health Prod 50:537-46.
Papadopoulou OS, Chorianopoulos NG, Gkana EN, Grounta AV, Koutsoumanis KP, Nychas GJE, 2012. Transfer of foodborne pathogenic bacteria to non-inoculated beef fillets through meat mincing machine. Meat Sci 90:865-9.
Roberts K, Barrett B, Howells A, Shanklin C, Pilling V, Brannon L, 2008. Food safety training and foodservice employees’ knowledge and behavior. Food Prot Trends 28.
Saccares S, Amadei P, Masotti G, Condoleo R, Guidi A, 2014. Hazard analysis and critical control points among Chinese food business operators. Italian J Food Saf 3:1707.
Vaz M, Novo N, Sigulem D, Morais T, 2005. A training course on food hygiene for butchers: measuring its effectiveness through microbiological analysis and the use of an inspection checklist. J Food Prot 68:2439-42.

How to Cite

1.
Bonifacino G, Traversa A, Nucera D, Bervini R, Bruatto G, Coruzzi E, Gilli M, Mendolicchio A, Osella E, Rubinetti F, Stassi E, Biglia C, Civera T. Official controls on traditional and ethnic butchers: evidence gathered to improve food safety. Ital J Food Safety [Internet]. 2023 Sep. 1 [cited 2024 Nov. 13];12(4). Available from: https://www.pagepressjournals.org/ijfs/article/view/11130