Distribution and importance of meat inspection tasks in Finnish high-capacity slaughterhouses

Transferring meat inspection tasks from food safety authorities to slaughterhouses has sparked interest worldwide in the pursuit of cost-efficiency. In Finland, two main organizational models for meat inspection are used: official auxiliaries are employed 1) by the authority or 2) by the slaughterhouse (possible only in poultry slaughterhouses). Here, we examined the functionality of these two different organizational models by issuing a questionnaire to the official veterinarians, official auxiliaries, slaughterhouse representatives and authorities responsible for organizing and guiding meat inspection in Finland. The questionnaire enquired how the distribution of food chain information (FCI), ante mortem and post mortem inspection tasks function in red meat and poultry slaughterhouses, and whether changes in the distribution should be made. Views on the importance of these meat inspection tasks were also evaluated. Our results showed that meat inspection personnel, slaughterhouse representatives and the officials guiding and organizing meat inspection considered ante and post mortem inspections important or very important. Both in red meat and poultry slaughterhouses, the meat inspection organizational model functioned well in relation to ante and post mortems inspections, which is essential for effective and precise inspection. FCI inspection was considered less important than ante and post mortem inspections, and respondents observed serious problems in receiving accurate FCI, which should be promptly resolved. It is also of concern that official red meat veterinarians considered FCI inspection significantly less important in relation to animal welfare than the officials organizing and guiding meat inspection. Authorities should have a mutual understanding of the importance of the tasks to ensure uniformity of official control. In the red meat slaughterhouses, most of the official veterinarians, official auxiliaries and slaughterhouse representatives considered it essential for consumer confidence that official auxiliaries employed by the authority perform post mortem inspection. The role of the official veterinarian in ante mortem inspection and whole carcass-condemnation (in red meat slaughterhouses) was also highly valued by the respondents.