ADVANCEMENT OF THE SCIENCE
viscera found acceptable by FIs are then har- vested, segregated, packaged, and chilled by the company. After evisceration, bovine and equine carcasses are sawed in half. Most por- cine carcasses are partially sawed down the backbone; other species do not go through this processing step. The eviscerated cadav- ers, at this point called carcasses, continue through the postmortem process. The companies trim and prepare the car- casses for carcass rail inspection by FIs. After inspection, the carcasses are moved to a final wash. The company stamps the FI- passed carcasses with the “U.S. Inspected and Passed” blue edible ink brand. Poul- try carcasses are not directly stamped but are placed in prelabeled packaging further in the processing at the slaughter facility. The carcasses are then placed in a cooler and chilled to safe temperatures for further processing or shipped in a cooler truck to other companies. Postmortem Responsibilities of FSIS Companies are responsible to present the carcasses and parts in a clean, sanitary, and presentable manner to facilitate FSIS inspection. There are usually three stations on the slaughter line where FIs inspect: 1) head inspection, 2) viscera inspection, and 3) carcass inspection. The number of FIs at each station depends on the species and the line speed. Large companies with fast line speeds that slaughter the larger livestock species require more FIs, and the stations are further apart. At slower line speeds and smaller companies, one FI can cover all three stations at one spot in the line where heads, viscera, and carcasses can be pre- sented for inspection. Each species has dierences in the on-line inspection procedures. In all cases, FIs are inspecting for diseases or injuries that can cause illnesses to humans on consumption or for other reasons that render the products undesirable or inedible. FIs inspect for any missed contamination such as hair, hide, feces, and fallout debris from the overhead structures. FIs direct designated company employees to trim these contaminants from the carcasses, heads, and viscera. FIs use knives and hooks as tools when organoleptically inspecting bovine, porcine, and equine species. The knives and hooks are used to slice open lymph nodes of the
heads, tongues, lungs, and livers. The outer and inner cheek muscles of bovine and equine heads are also sliced and viewed for signs of diseases and conditions such as tapeworm cysts that would render the meat undesirable. Bovine and equine hearts are sliced open to observe all four heart cham- bers. FIs palpate bovine tongues, lungs, liv- ers, hearts, and the reticule-rumen junction of the paunches in cattle to detect conditions that might not be visible, such as abscesses inside the livers or arthritis at a leg joint. Additionally, the bile ducts of cattle liv- ers are sliced open to inspect for parasites. Knives and hooks are not used to inspect sheep, goats, and poultry. Rather, inspection is conducted visually and by palpation. FIs condemn diseased or abnormal heads, tongues, or viscera via a “condemn” brand stamped with blue edible ink. FIs then direct the company trimmers to trim o the oending parts. If this process is not pos- sible on the line due to line speed, then the carcasses are segregated by company employees to another rail. Carcasses are reinspected after the trimming is completed and then placed back on the production line if the FI deems the carcass has passed reinspection. At any station when FIs think that cadavers or carcasses might be diseased entirely, they direct companies to segregate those units for PHV disposition. PHVs deter- mine whether entire units or only parts pass inspection or are condemned. Poultry inspection requires just one sta- tion. FIs visually inspect the outside and inside surfaces of the carcasses. FIs palpate the viscera, which has been pulled out of the carcasses by company personnel. FIs can condemn whole poultry carcasses. Slaughter companies may request a new voluntary system of postmortem inspection called the HACCP-Based Inspection Model Project (HIMP) to increase production. This system entails company personnel conducting the actual postmortem inspection while FSIS inspectors monitor the companies to verify that the postmortem techniques are performed correctly, and that the companies are produc- ing wholesome and edible products for human consumption. This system also reduces the number of FSIS inspectors required. Every time a slaughter establishment kills livestock for human food, a PHV or inspec- tor-in-charge enters data into PHIS. These
data include the class of livestock, the live weights, the dressed weights, the number of livestock condemned by PHVs at antemortem and postmortem inspections, and the reasons why livestock were condemned. These data are available to relevant government agencies and are statistically analyzed for various dis- ease trends. Each FSIS inspector uses a computerized system to schedule daily tasks. The results of each task performed are recorded and avail- able to higher authorities, who use these data to recognize trends that might result in policy changes. FIs on the slaughter lines use “condemn” brands to label parts of carcasses and vis- cera not suitable for consumer consumption. Companies use brands to indicate which products have passed the online postmor- tem inspection by FIs. Inspected food prod- ucts that have passed inspection are subject to reinspection by FSIS inspectors through- out the processing, up to the point that food products are shipped to consumers. Conclusion and Summary of Part 2 All livestock entering a slaughter estab- lishment must be FSIS inspected before (antemortem) and after slaughter (postmor- tem). No livestock showing disease symp- toms are to enter the companies. After the livestock pass FSIS inspection and are killed humanely, FIs determine at postmortem inspection what parts of the livestock are acceptable for further processing into meat and poultry products. Carcasses determined by FIs to possibly be diseased are segregated for disposition by PHVs. Carcasses that pass inspection are sent into production and/or to consignees. Disclaimer: The information and conclu- sions of this special report are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the ocial position of USDA or FSIS. Further, the interpretation of the regulations used to support this special report may not reflect the actual interpretation set forth by USDA and FSIS. Corresponding Author: Roger W. Amery, 1663 Delaware Court, Geneva, IL 60134. Email: ameryrogerw@yahoo.com.
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