ABSTRACT
Investigations were carried out in production conditions on the sources of surface contamination of pork with regard to sanitary-indicative and pathogenic (Salmonellae) organisms. A total of 74 series of experiments were carried out, every series making use of the following: 10 fecal samples taken on the preslaughter premise; the results of studying the skin cover of 3 animals prior to washing, after washing, and after stunning, employing the method of Dryabina in studying skin areas of 25 cm2; as many as three washings taken from within the path from the place where the animals were washed to the place where they were stunned; the results of studying the surface of the meat produced (from 3 animals in each case) and at the site of starting skin removal, with sampling the abdomen muscles and the group along with sampling the meat itself after cleaning and washing it - taking impression preparations, resp., employing the contact method with a 44 cm2 surface area of the agar. No Salmonella bacteria were found in the 1628 analyses and fecal samples of the skin of pigs intended for slaughter. The washing of the animals lowered more than 70 times the total bacterial contamination of the skin cover. It was found that the site of starting skin removal and the muscles of the abdomen and those of the forelimbs were most strongly contaminated.
