---
_id: '13497'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: As production of food from animal origin is always associated with microbiological
    contamination, there is a possible risk for consumers to be exposed to pathogenic
    microorganisms. It is therefore crucial to control microbiological contamination
    at all process steps with appropriate measures to detect contamination as soon
    as possible. To evaluate the effectiveness of reduction measures integrated into
    the slaughtering process, a baseline of contamination needs to be defined. Therefore,
    this review aimed to address sampling techniques and units used to describe levels
    of contamination on pig carcasses in routine slaughter by means of a narrative
    survey. Although Salmonella, Yersinia and Campylobacter are amongst the most relevant
    foodborne pathogens in pork production, we focussed on indicators of process hygiene
    such as Total Viable Count, Enterobacteriaceae, Coliforms and Escherichia coli.
    To compare the selected studies and trials, stratification by sampled matrix,
    sampling method, process step and unit was necessary. This investigation showed
    a wide variety of sampling techniques within those factors, which hinders the
    comparability of results across different studies. Furthermore, the reporting
    of standard statistical metrics was often inadequate, emphasising the need to
    harmonise sampling techniques and methodological reporting for both scientific
    and practical perspectives. Therefore, this review assessed the sampling methods
    used at each process step and for each sampled matrix individually and identified
    the missing statistical metrics. Establishing this foundation is essential for
    selecting the most relevant matrices and methods and for developing a guide to
    improve data quality and comparability across future studies.
article_number: '6'
author:
- first_name: Alina
  full_name: Kirse, Alina
  last_name: Kirse
- first_name: Bastian
  full_name: Wyink, Bastian
  last_name: Wyink
- first_name: Henrike
  full_name: von Haacke, Henrike
  last_name: von Haacke
- first_name: Thomas
  full_name: Alter, Thomas
  last_name: Alter
- first_name: Niels
  full_name: Bandick, Niels
  last_name: Bandick
- first_name: Nina
  full_name: Langkabel, Nina
  last_name: Langkabel
- first_name: Diana
  full_name: Meemken, Diana
  last_name: Meemken
- first_name: Matthias
  full_name: Upmann, Matthias
  id: '12666'
  last_name: Upmann
- first_name: Lothar
  full_name: Kreienbrock, Lothar
  last_name: Kreienbrock
citation:
  ama: Kirse A, Wyink B, von Haacke H, et al. Microbial carcass contamination during
    pig slaughter – a narrative overview on recent data and documentation in routine
    slaughter. <i>Food Safety and Risk</i>. 2026;13(1). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7">10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7</a>
  apa: Kirse, A., Wyink, B., von Haacke, H., Alter, T., Bandick, N., Langkabel, N.,
    Meemken, D., Upmann, M., &#38; Kreienbrock, L. (2026). Microbial carcass contamination
    during pig slaughter – a narrative overview on recent data and documentation in
    routine slaughter. <i>Food Safety and Risk</i>, <i>13</i>(1), Article 6. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7">https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7</a>
  bjps: <b>Kirse A <i>et al.</i></b> (2026) Microbial Carcass Contamination during
    Pig Slaughter – a Narrative Overview on Recent Data and Documentation in Routine
    Slaughter. <i>Food Safety and Risk</i> <b>13</b>.
  chicago: Kirse, Alina, Bastian Wyink, Henrike von Haacke, Thomas Alter, Niels Bandick,
    Nina Langkabel, Diana Meemken, Matthias Upmann, and Lothar Kreienbrock. “Microbial
    Carcass Contamination during Pig Slaughter – a Narrative Overview on Recent Data
    and Documentation in Routine Slaughter.” <i>Food Safety and Risk</i> 13, no. 1
    (2026). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7">https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7</a>.
  chicago-de: Kirse, Alina, Bastian Wyink, Henrike von Haacke, Thomas Alter, Niels
    Bandick, Nina Langkabel, Diana Meemken, Matthias Upmann und Lothar Kreienbrock.
    2026. Microbial carcass contamination during pig slaughter – a narrative overview
    on recent data and documentation in routine slaughter. <i>Food Safety and Risk</i>
    13, Nr. 1. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7">10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7</a>,
    .
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;"><span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Kirse,
    Alina</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Wyink, Bastian</span> ;
    <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">von Haacke, Henrike</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Alter,
    Thomas</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Bandick, Niels</span> ;
    <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Langkabel, Nina</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Meemken,
    Diana</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Upmann, Matthias</span>
    ; u. a.</span>: Microbial carcass contamination during pig slaughter – a narrative
    overview on recent data and documentation in routine slaughter. In: <i>Food Safety
    and Risk</i> Bd. 13. [London], BioMed Central  (2026), Nr. 1'
  havard: A. Kirse, B. Wyink, H. von Haacke, T. Alter, N. Bandick, N. Langkabel, D.
    Meemken, M. Upmann, L. Kreienbrock, Microbial carcass contamination during pig
    slaughter – a narrative overview on recent data and documentation in routine slaughter,
    Food Safety and Risk. 13 (2026).
  ieee: 'A. Kirse <i>et al.</i>, “Microbial carcass contamination during pig slaughter
    – a narrative overview on recent data and documentation in routine slaughter,”
    <i>Food Safety and Risk</i>, vol. 13, no. 1, Art. no. 6, 2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7">10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7</a>.'
  mla: Kirse, Alina, et al. “Microbial Carcass Contamination during Pig Slaughter
    – a Narrative Overview on Recent Data and Documentation in Routine Slaughter.”
    <i>Food Safety and Risk</i>, vol. 13, no. 1, 6, 2026, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7">https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7</a>.
  short: A. Kirse, B. Wyink, H. von Haacke, T. Alter, N. Bandick, N. Langkabel, D.
    Meemken, M. Upmann, L. Kreienbrock, Food Safety and Risk 13 (2026).
  ufg: '<b>Kirse, Alina u. a.</b>: Microbial carcass contamination during pig slaughter
    – a narrative overview on recent data and documentation in routine slaughter,
    in: <i>Food Safety and Risk</i> 13 (2026), H. 1.'
  van: Kirse A, Wyink B, von Haacke H, Alter T, Bandick N, Langkabel N, et al. Microbial
    carcass contamination during pig slaughter – a narrative overview on recent data
    and documentation in routine slaughter. Food Safety and Risk. 2026;13(1).
date_created: 2026-03-15T16:15:51Z
date_updated: 2026-04-16T14:07:38Z
department:
- _id: DEP4028
- _id: DEP4029
doi: 10.1186/s40550-025-00129-7
intvolume: '        13'
issue: '1'
keyword:
- Swine
- Abattoir
- Slaughter hygiene
- Data harmonisation
- Microbial count
- PICO process
language:
- iso: eng
place: '[London]'
publication: Food Safety and Risk
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 2731-9245
publication_status: published
publisher: 'BioMed Central '
status: public
title: Microbial carcass contamination during pig slaughter – a narrative overview
  on recent data and documentation in routine slaughter
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 13
year: '2026'
...
---
_id: '13012'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: The aim of the study is to provide an up-to date overall evaluation of visual
    contamination occurring on the slaughter line in order to provide a basis for
    implementing contamination control measures and to the hygienic quality of the
    processes. For this purpose, 627 contaminated pig carcasses in an industrial slaughterhouse
    in north western Germany were examined in 2021 for its distribution of type, areal
    extent and localization of slaughter contamination. Prior to official meat inspection,
    two persons visually scanned dorsal and ventral surfaces of the eviscerated but
    not yet split pig carcasses from cranial to caudal and recorded types, areal extent
    and localization of the contamination. The main contamination type were intestinal
    contents, bile, stomach contents, tubular rail fat and “others”, which mostly
    consisted of a reddish foam from the respiratory tract. 103 out of 627 contaminated
    animals showed more than one contamination, which leads to a total number of 754
    contaminations detected. Intestinal contents accounted for almost half of all
    contaminations and “others” for 30%. Forelimb, back and ham together counted for
    70% of the contaminated regions. The affected area was smaller than that of a
    one euro coin (diameter about 23 mm) in 86% of the cases.
article_number: '109365'
author:
- first_name: Janna
  full_name: Tholen, Janna
  id: '80924'
  last_name: Tholen
- first_name: J.
  full_name: Grosse-Kleimann, J.
  last_name: Grosse-Kleimann
- first_name: G.
  full_name: Schulze Althoff, G.
  last_name: Schulze Althoff
- first_name: L.
  full_name: Kreienbrock, L.
  last_name: Kreienbrock
- first_name: Matthias
  full_name: Upmann, Matthias
  id: '12666'
  last_name: Upmann
citation:
  ama: Tholen J, Grosse-Kleimann J, Schulze Althoff G, Kreienbrock L, Upmann M. Type,
    areal extent and localization of carcass contaminations during industrial pig
    slaughter. <i>Meat Science</i>. 2023;208(2). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365">10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365</a>
  apa: Tholen, J., Grosse-Kleimann, J., Schulze Althoff, G., Kreienbrock, L., &#38;
    Upmann, M. (2023). Type, areal extent and localization of carcass contaminations
    during industrial pig slaughter. <i>Meat Science</i>, <i>208</i>(2), Article 109365.
    <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365</a>
  bjps: <b>Tholen J <i>et al.</i></b> (2023) Type, Areal Extent and Localization of
    Carcass Contaminations during Industrial Pig Slaughter. <i>Meat Science</i> <b>208</b>.
  chicago: Tholen, Janna, J. Grosse-Kleimann, G. Schulze Althoff, L. Kreienbrock,
    and Matthias Upmann. “Type, Areal Extent and Localization of Carcass Contaminations
    during Industrial Pig Slaughter.” <i>Meat Science</i> 208, no. 2 (2023). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365</a>.
  chicago-de: Tholen, Janna, J. Grosse-Kleimann, G. Schulze Althoff, L. Kreienbrock
    und Matthias Upmann. 2023. Type, areal extent and localization of carcass contaminations
    during industrial pig slaughter. <i>Meat Science</i> 208, Nr. 2. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365">10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365</a>,
    .
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Tholen, Janna</span> ; <span
    style="font-variant:small-caps;">Grosse-Kleimann, J.</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Schulze
    Althoff, G.</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Kreienbrock, L.</span>
    ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Upmann, Matthias</span>: Type, areal
    extent and localization of carcass contaminations during industrial pig slaughter.
    In: <i>Meat Science</i> Bd. 208. London [u.a.], Elsevier BV (2023), Nr. 2'
  havard: J. Tholen, J. Grosse-Kleimann, G. Schulze Althoff, L. Kreienbrock, M. Upmann,
    Type, areal extent and localization of carcass contaminations during industrial
    pig slaughter, Meat Science. 208 (2023).
  ieee: 'J. Tholen, J. Grosse-Kleimann, G. Schulze Althoff, L. Kreienbrock, and M.
    Upmann, “Type, areal extent and localization of carcass contaminations during
    industrial pig slaughter,” <i>Meat Science</i>, vol. 208, no. 2, Art. no. 109365,
    2023, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365">10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365</a>.'
  mla: Tholen, Janna, et al. “Type, Areal Extent and Localization of Carcass Contaminations
    during Industrial Pig Slaughter.” <i>Meat Science</i>, vol. 208, no. 2, 109365,
    2023, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365</a>.
  short: J. Tholen, J. Grosse-Kleimann, G. Schulze Althoff, L. Kreienbrock, M. Upmann,
    Meat Science 208 (2023).
  ufg: '<b>Tholen, Janna u. a.</b>: Type, areal extent and localization of carcass
    contaminations during industrial pig slaughter, in: <i>Meat Science</i> 208 (2023),
    H. 2.'
  van: Tholen J, Grosse-Kleimann J, Schulze Althoff G, Kreienbrock L, Upmann M. Type,
    areal extent and localization of carcass contaminations during industrial pig
    slaughter. Meat Science. 2023;208(2).
date_created: 2025-06-24T12:08:29Z
date_updated: 2025-06-25T12:40:42Z
department:
- _id: DEP4029
doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365
external_id:
  isi:
  - '001111539700001'
  pmid:
  - '37939509'
intvolume: '       208'
isi: '1'
issue: '2'
keyword:
- Abattoir
- Slaughter hygiene
- Evisceration
- Pork production
- Pig carcass contamination
- Fecal contamination
- Bile contamination
- Meat inspection
language:
- iso: eng
place: London [u.a.]
pmid: '1'
publication: Meat Science
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1873-4138
  issn:
  - 0309-1740
publication_status: published
publisher: Elsevier BV
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Type, areal extent and localization of carcass contaminations during industrial
  pig slaughter
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 208
year: '2023'
...