A microbiological survey of fresh meat processed at abattoirs in Gauteng, South Africa

The abattoir Hygiene Management System (HMS) was regulated in South Africa under the Meat Safety Act 40 of 2000. Presently, there is no national regulated microbiological standard to compare against meat tested at abattoirs as an indicator of good hygiene practices. The aim of the study was to establish a provincial guideline for a microbiological baseline. This may be used to verify the performance of the implemented HMS. Thirty red meat and twenty-two poultry abattoirs were sampled to determine baseline Total Bacterial Counts (TBCs). The results of this study were compared to standards presently used in the United Kingdom (UK). The results compared favourably.