Food Animals for Human Consumption

• Food animals refer to all animals used for human consumption as meat-producing resources
• Food animals can be divided into two general categories: conventional and non-conventional.

Conventional Food Animals

• These commonly include cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats

Non-conventional Food Animals

• This group encompasses animals like oxen, deer, horses, camels, alpaca, and llama

Additional Meat Sources

• Poultry, including chicken, ducks, geese, turkey, and pigeons, are significant contributors to meat production

Economic Influence of Food Animals

• Food animals produce valuable byproducts, significantly impacting the overall financial aspects of the entire production process

Nutritional Contributions of Meat

Protein Content

• Meat is a high-protein food source in which total nitrogen content of muscle is 95%
• Protein functions as a tissue builder
• Protein acts as reserve energy supply
• Protein provides a complete source

Mineral Composition

• Key minerals found in meat include iron, zinc, and phosphorus

Vitamin Content

• Meat offers an excellent source of various vitamins
• This includes B-complex vitamins like thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin, as well as Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12

Fat Content

• Meat has a high lipid content, providing insulation and protection for the body
• Fat also functions as a concentrated source of energy and saturated fats

The Importance of Meat Inspection

Disease Prevention

• Animals can be affected by diseases/infections, rendering them unfit for preparing human food
• Diseases and parasites present in animals can transmit to humans from improperly cooked meat

Meat Inspection Objectives

• Meat inspection helps prevent diseased meat from reaching consumers
• Meat inspection helps ensure meat is processed and stored following sanitary standards

Carcass Inspection

• The inspection assesses the carcass and its offal after slaughter
• The inspection determines fitness for human consumption

Meat Hygiene

• Includes overseeing cleanliness for each stage of preparation
• Meat hygiene starts from bleeding food animals to the point of palatable meat consumption through channels such as butcher shops, markets, restaurants, meat processing plants, warehouses, and the manufacturing industries

Causes and Consequences

Impact of Bruising

• Bruising and related injuries have great impact on meat quality, animal welfare, and economic gains

Origins of Bruising

• Poor handling, transportation, or stress before slaughter generally leads to bruises and injuries

Result of Bruising

• They can damage muscle tissues
• They can spoil appearance and may cause reduce the amount of edible meat

Causes of Bruising and Injury

• Rough handling
• Transportation stress
• Inadequate facilities
• Aggression among animals
• Pre-existing health conditions

Bruising Characteristics

The Nature of Bruising

• Bruising involves blood escaping damaged blood vessels into the surrounding muscle tissue

Causes of Bruising

• A physical strike from object like a stick, stone, horn, metal
• Bruising can occur during handling, transport, penning, or stunning etc.

Variability in Bruise Size

• Bruises have a variety of sizes from minor to major
• Sizes range from superficial(approx. 10cm diameter) to serious
• Bruise can involve entire limbs, regions of the carcass, or even whole carcasses

Unsuitability of Bruised Meat

• Bruised meat is not suitable for food

Meat Composition

• The nutritional value, taste, texture, and cooking characteristics are resulted from a range of biological components

Primary Components

• Water, protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins

Water Content

Percentage

• Water content is approximately 65–75% in meat

Proportion

• Water is the largest component and makes up 65–75% of the meat's weight

Function

• Water effects juiciness and texture
• Water serves as a medium for chemical reactions and nutrient transport within the muscle

Impact on Cooking

• Water loss when cooking reduces weight and affects tenderness

Protein Composition

Percentage

• Protein makes up 16–22% of meat

Importance

• Proteins contribute significantly to the nourishment level of meat
• Proteins are important for the structure of the muscle tissue

Primary Types

Myofibrillar Proteins

• They make up 50–55%
• Examples include Myosin, actin, and tropomyosin
• Plays its role in muscle contraction and structural integrity
• Myofibrillar Proteins affects tenderness and texture

Lipid Oxidation

Process

• Meat fats react with oxygen and lead to rancidity

Consequences:

• Creation of undesirable flavors and odors occur
• Loss of nutritional value results, particularly in unsaturated fats.

Myoglobin Changes (Color Changes)

Myoglobin Defined

• Myoglobin, which binds oxygen in the muscle, affects meat color

Myoglobin States

Deoxymyoglobin

• This purplish-red form occurs when there is no oxygen

Oxymyoglobin

• This bright red form occurs when there is oxygen
• Appearance provides the meat a fresh look

Metmyoglobin:

• This brownish-gray form occurs when oxidation occurs
• Metmyoglobin indicates spoilage or aging

Influencing Factors

• pH levels
• Oxygen amount
• Storage conditions

Meat Acidity

Definition

• Primarily determined by pH, which impacts meat attributes, safety, and shelf life

Influences Affecting pH

• Biochemical processes such as glycogen breakdown and lactic acid collection

pH in Meat: Key Concepts

Normal pH

Living Animals

• Muscle tissue pH is around 7.0, which is neutral

Post-Slaughter pH

• Glycolysis turns muscle glycogen into lactic acid
• pH drops to 5.4–5.8 in normal meat as a result

Positive Impacts

• Tenderness increases
• Microbial growth decreases

Ante-mortem Inspection

Definition

• Ante-mortem means "before death."

Purpose

• Ante-mortem inspection checks live animals intended for slaughter

Goals

• To make sure what is slaughtered is fit for eating and healthy

Execution

• Inspection is done by meat inspectors e.g. veterinarians
• Inspections performed in abattoirs

Steps in Close Physical Examination

• Body Examination: Assess for severe weight loss or unusual swelling
• Skin Examination : Check for injuries, wounds, or signs of parasitic infestation
• Eyes Examination: Check for discharge of eyes or redness
• Nose Examination: Inspect for nasal excretion, coughing, or heavy salivation
• Breathing Examination: Notice any signs of breathing issues
• Limbs Examination: Note issues of mobility, broken bones, or swollen joints

Scenarios for Rejection

• Fever or sickness
• Severe injuries and limping
• Conditions like ringworm
• Respiratory problems
• Neurological condition
• Dehydration or emaciation
• Current drug use

Abnormalities During Post-mortem Examination

• Respiration issues
• Behavioral irregularities
• Gait problems
• Posture abnormalities
• Abnormal structure
• Discharges from any body part
• Abnormal color
• Odor

Objectives of Post-Mortem Examination

Disease Detection

• Aims to detect illness or complications prior to slaughter.

Identification of Risks

• Aims to single out zoonotic ailments with risks

Quality Assessment

• Aims to assess quality of meat and its fitness for eating

Regulatory Compliance

• Aims to ensure meat checks are following rules

General Principles of Post-Mortem Inspection

Observation

• Look for odd injuries and swelling

Palpation

• Check that feel different or abnormal

Incision

• Check that no hidden disease or anything unseen is contained inside

Smell

• Detection from odd odors

Necropsy

• Examine an animal after demise by systemic lesion recordings and interpretation

Post-Examination Actions:

• Following examination and inspection of the slaughtered animal and carcass the inspector can take the following actions

Approval

• Approval is granted for human consumption if no obvious abnormalities are present

Partial Condemnation

• If localized diseases are found partial condemnation takes place

Total Condemnation

• If diseases/zoonotic risks are present/detected, total condemnation can occur

Special treatments

• Procedures like approval after freezing treatment

Cysticercus Bovis Characteristics

About

• This is the larval stage of the tapeworm Taenia saginata

Risk:

• Its meat inspection poses a risk to animal health

Size:

• Sizes range at 5-10 MM to 5-10mm Diameter

Shape

• Oval or sphere shaped

Color

• Color can be translucent or whitish in its prime or may worsen overtime

Content

• Cyst contain an adult/tapeworm that turns into scolex

Handling of Carcasses Affected

Light

• Tissues are trimmed and condemned

Heavy

• Heavy carcasses are eliminated to protect from diseases.

Prevention:

• Prevention/Kills includes freezing and heat treatment from infection and disease

Hydatid Cyst in Carcasses

• Hydatid cysts are the larval stage of Echinococcus granulos
• Echinococcus granulos primarily infects livestock such as sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs.
• The cysts affects mostly the liver, lungs, and other organs.
• Hydatid cysts affect value and public meat quality.
• There is condemnation and loss of carcass weight.

Appearance of Hydatid Cysts

Size

• From millimeters up to centimeters

Shape

• Oval or spherical

Structure

• 2 layers with clear cut fluid inside

Color

• Cyst usually has a white or yellow color

Tuberculosis General Suspects:

• Bacteria in the complex spreads the animal parts containing TB
• This can spread if meat is consumed
• Trade, health , and inspection will go down with Tuberculosis

Causative Agent:

• Most common in animals

Transmission:

• Inhalation and direct contact with tissue or fluids

Location of Carcass:

• Mostly infects lymph nodes, lungs, liver