8 Fleischwirtschaft <strong>international</strong> 2_<strong>2018</strong> Animal Welfare Marisa Cardoso (to the left) was Head of the Scientific Committee and Jalusa Deon Kich (to the right) was the President of Safepork 2017. Modernization of meat inspection of pigs The world isonthe move towards amore evidence-based type ofinspection There is aneed to modernize meat inspection among other goals, to target the hazards of foodborne illnesses in acosteffective way.In August 2017,aworkshop about the status for modernization of meat inspection of pigs was held in Brazil, in relation to the Safepork Conference. Presenters from several countries contributed with their knowledge, based upon industry, academia and authority experiences. Avariety of initiatives to modernize meat inspection was presented, reflecting different production systems and perceptions about the value of meat inspection. In general, there was atendency towards amore evidencebased approach focusing on the entire production chain. By Lis Alban, Elenita Ruttscheidt Albuquerque, Claudia ValeriaG.Cordeiro de Sá, Patrik Buholzer, Madalena Vieira-Pinto, Nina Langkabel, DianaMeemken, Andrew Pointon, DavidHamilton and Melanie Abley Modernization of meat inspection is on the agenda in several countries. Resources are scarce and the challenges plenty,socosteffective ways of inspection are sought. Moreover, pork is traded <strong>international</strong>ly.Would it make sense to have similar inspection regimes in place all over the world? –Ordothe production systems and perceived risks differ too much between countries, inhibiting aharmonization of the rules? Should focus rather be on the outcome of inspection than the way it is performed? While remembering that the main objective is to ensure that the meat, which reaches the consumer,issafe and wholesome. Moreover,wemust not forget that inspection is also made to ensure early detection of animal health and welfare problems. So,how can we undertake meat inspection in away,where all three aims are met? In 2011,anEFSA Opinion pointed to the advantage of visualonly inspection of swine to minimize the probability of spread of food safety hazards such as Salmonella spp. between the carcasses (EFSA, 2011). In response, the European Union (EU) Meat Inspection Regulation was adapted, and since 2014 it stipulates that meat inspection of swine should be visualonly.An exception is warranted, if information revealed during ante mortem (AM), post mortem (PM) or from the herd of origin points to aneed for traditional inspection involving incisions and palpations (EU Commission, 2014). Legally speaking, EU regulations are binding for all Member States, from the date which the regulation enters into force. However,due to adiverse list of issues in the individual Member States, the implementation of full visualonly inspection has been delayed (BÆKBO et al., 2015). Therefore, it is interesting to know what the status is, and what the experience has been regarding implementation. Howismodernization of meat inspection being interpreted outside the EU? Are the challenges the same or do they differ due to historical/cultural issues? Furthermore, how do we agree on the conditions allowing free trade? One hazard of global interest is the parasite Trichinella,where testing of all carcasses has been arequirement for many years, despite that the probability of detecting Trichinella is minute in indoorraised pigs. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) operates with establishment of anegligible risk compartment for Trichinella in pigs (OIE, 2017). The principles of establishing and maintaining anegligible risk compartments are also in place in the EU (EU Commission, 2015). Will any country make use of this concept? And, if so, how can maintenance of the negligible risk be documented? The concept of Food Chain Information (FCI) is in use in the EU. Howmeaningful is this concept? In addition, are similar concepts being used on other continents? Which solutions to challenges have been found? Furthermore, what are the future developments and next challenges within meat inspection of swine? Workshop in Brazil In August 2017,around 40 persons involved in pork production gathered in Iguacu in Brazil to talk about the status for the modernization of meat inspection of pigs. The workshop was organized in relation to the scientificoriented Safepork Conference, which is held every second year on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. This time, Safepork Conference organizers were Marisa Cardoso from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil (Head of Scientific Committee), and Jalusa Deon Kich from The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) as president. The presenters at the workshop were selected by the workshop organizers Elenita Ruttscheidt Albuquerque, from the Brazilian Federal Inspection Service, and Lis Alban from the Danish Agriculture & Food Council to ensure abroad representation covering industry,academia and veterinary authorities from various countries all over the world. The program and the presenters can be seen in the Table.
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