An evaluation of selected methods for the decontamination of cattle hides prior to skinning

The effectiveness of different decontamination treatments in reducing microbial loads on cattle hides was assessed. The 10-s hide treatments were conducted using a wet-and-dry vacuum cleaner filled with one of the liquids (heated to 50 °C) indicated below, followed or not by 10-min drying in the air. Also, the hide was clipped, followed or not by 10-s singeing using a hand-held blowtorch. Before and after each decontamination treatment, the hide was sampled (100 cm2 areas) by a sponge-swabbing method to compare the total viable counts of bacteria (TVC). The largest bacterial reduction (P < 0.001; 2.31 log10 cfu/cm2) was achieved by singeing of previously clipped hide. Treatment of hide with a food industry sanitizer solution (10% Betane Plus) resulted in significant reductions of 1.80 (P < 0.001) and 1.98 log10 cfu/cm2 (P < 0.001) without and with subsequent drying, respectively. Treatment of hide with a food industry disinfectant (P3-Topactive DES) significantly reduced TVC by 0.97 (P < 0.001) and 1.18 log10 cfu/cm2 (P < 0.001) without and with subsequent drying, respectively. Treatments of hide with water alone or with a food-safe detergent solution (Formula 963B), or hide clipping alone, did not produce significant decontamination effects. Since hide contamination is associated with microbial contamination of the carcasses, the results indicate that post-killing/pre-skinning hide decontamination (used alone, or in combination with carcass decontamination) has a potential to improve microbial meat safety. Nevertheless, further research is required to optimise the efficacy of these treatments in the reduction of specific pathogens under commercial conditions.