Risk-based control of the safety and quality of rabbit meat during production and circulation

Abstract

In order to establish the quality and safety of rabbit meat, veterinary medicine inspectors conduct a veterinary and sanitary examination of rabbit slaughter products at facilities for the production and circulation of rabbit meat. The aim of the study was to investigate the safety and quality of rabbit carcasses to determine pathological changes in internal organs and meat, as well as the fatness category of rabbits at slaughter, analyzing organoleptic, chemical, and microbiological indicators of rabbit meat and fat to determine the degree of freshness. The subject of the study was rabbit slaughter products, meat and adipose tissue. The methodology for carrying out veterinary and sanitary examination and fattening of rabbits was carried out visually in accordance with the requirements of the national standard DSTU 4293; the organoleptic characteristics of rabbit meat in terms of appearance and color, muscle condition on the cut, consistency, smell, transparency, and aroma of the broth were determined according to GOST 20235.0; chemical indicators of rabbit fat quality were determined using patented methods for determining the acid and peroxide values of fat; microbiological indicators, in particular KMAFAnM, were determined by inoculating the studied rabbit meat sample on nutrient media at temperatures not lower than (34–37)°C and subsequently calculating their content; hygienic criteria of the technological process for rabbit meat for storage and sale at appropriate temperature regimes in refrigeration chambers – (–2…–3) °C and (0…6)°C were determined by calculating the daily average logarithm (log) of meat according to the methodology of EU Regulation No. 2073/2005.