Real-time faecal detection on the beef slaughter line as a means of quality control

The primary aim of this project was to validate a new real-time technology to understand how faecal detection can be used to reduce pathogenic contamination, increase the shelf life of red meat, and increase the profitability of a carcase.

The reduction in trim value through reputational damage is directly linked to the level of contamination recorded in carcases. Therefore, lowering the level of contamination will lower the cost to the processor.

The Veritide faecal detection system was able to detect areas of non-visual contamination, which led to proactive intervention that reduced the bacterial load on a carcase entering the chiller following processing.