---
_id: '13506'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: 'The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a steam-vacuum treatment
    of the surface of industrially slaughtered pig carcasses after evisceration but
    before chilling. Both the reduction of the microbial load after contamination
    with stomach contents, bile, or tubular rail fat and color changes of the carcass
    surface were investigated. Up to 25 samples per type of contamination were examined
    within an experimental setting under regular slaughterhouse conditions. The steam-vacuum
    treatment was applied on the approximately 30 cm long carcass rind between 2 and
    8 s. This led to a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.0001) in total bacterial
    counts of up to 2 log10 levels to values near or below the lower detection limit
    for all types of contamination considered (stomach contents (−1.2 log CFU/cm2)
    (p < 0.0001), bile (−1.6 log CFU/cm2) (p < 0.0001) and tubular fat (−2.2 log CFU/cm2)
    (p < 0.0001). Noncontaminated, nontreated carcasses underwent a color change of
    ΔE = 2.5 ± 1.2 (ΔE represents the overall color difference, where higher values
    indicate more noticeable color changes.) during storage of the carcass surface
    at 2 °C after 24 and 48 h. After steam-vacuum treatment, no statistically significant
    color differences (24 h storage: 2 s p = 0.7403, 4 s p = 0.8769, 6 s p = 0.1755,
    8 s p = 0.0971; 48 h storage: 2 s p = 0.9710, 4 s p = 0.9967, 6 s p = 0.5648,
    8 s p = 0.5360) were observed compared to untreated carcasses after storage (ΔE
    = 3.2 ± 1.3). Stomach content could be completely removed by the steam-vacuum
    treatment without affecting the color (48 h storage: 2 s p = 0.9704, 4 s p = 1.000,
    6 s p = 1.000, 8 s p = 0.9996) compared with the control group. The color changes
    caused by bile (ΔE = 12.9 ± 4.12; p < 0.0001) and tubular rail fat (ΔE = 8 ± 3;
    p < 0.0001) could not be reversed completely by vacuum steam treatment. After
    contamination and decontamination, significant color differences remained in the
    b* (yellowness) range for bile (p < 0.0001) and in all three color ranges for
    tubular rail fat (p < 0.0001). Overall, steam-vacuum treatment appears to be a
    suitable microbiological decontamination method, as the microbial levels after
    treatment were below the detection limit.'
article_number: '100687'
author:
- first_name: Janna
  full_name: Tholen, Janna
  id: '68430'
  last_name: Tholen
- first_name: Alina
  full_name: Kirse, Alina
  last_name: Kirse
- first_name: Henrike
  full_name: von Haacke, Henrike
  last_name: von Haacke
- first_name: Lothar
  full_name: Kreienbrock, Lothar
  last_name: Kreienbrock
- first_name: Lea
  full_name: Strotkötter, Lea
  last_name: Strotkötter
- first_name: Gereon Schulze
  full_name: Althoff, Gereon Schulze
  last_name: Althoff
- first_name: Matthias
  full_name: Upmann, Matthias
  id: '12666'
  last_name: Upmann
citation:
  ama: Tholen J, Kirse A, von Haacke H, et al. Steam-Vacuum Treatment of Pig Carcass
    Surfaces. <i>Journal of Food Protection</i>. 2025;89(2). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687">10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687</a>
  apa: Tholen, J., Kirse, A., von Haacke, H., Kreienbrock, L., Strotkötter, L., Althoff,
    G. S., &#38; Upmann, M. (2025). Steam-Vacuum Treatment of Pig Carcass Surfaces.
    <i>Journal of Food Protection</i>, <i>89</i>(2), Article 100687. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687</a>
  bjps: <b>Tholen J <i>et al.</i></b> (2025) Steam-Vacuum Treatment of Pig Carcass
    Surfaces. <i>Journal of Food Protection</i> <b>89</b>.
  chicago: Tholen, Janna, Alina Kirse, Henrike von Haacke, Lothar Kreienbrock, Lea
    Strotkötter, Gereon Schulze Althoff, and Matthias Upmann. “Steam-Vacuum Treatment
    of Pig Carcass Surfaces.” <i>Journal of Food Protection</i> 89, no. 2 (2025).
    <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687</a>.
  chicago-de: Tholen, Janna, Alina Kirse, Henrike von Haacke, Lothar Kreienbrock,
    Lea Strotkötter, Gereon Schulze Althoff und Matthias Upmann. 2025. Steam-Vacuum
    Treatment of Pig Carcass Surfaces. <i>Journal of Food Protection</i> 89, Nr. 2.
    doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687">10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687</a>,
    .
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Tholen, Janna</span> ; <span
    style="font-variant:small-caps;">Kirse, Alina</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">von
    Haacke, Henrike</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Kreienbrock, Lothar</span>
    ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Strotkötter, Lea</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Althoff,
    Gereon Schulze</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Upmann, Matthias</span>:
    Steam-Vacuum Treatment of Pig Carcass Surfaces. In: <i>Journal of Food Protection</i>
    Bd. 89. Des Moines, Iowa , IAFP (2025), Nr. 2'
  havard: J. Tholen, A. Kirse, H. von Haacke, L. Kreienbrock, L. Strotkötter, G.S.
    Althoff, M. Upmann, Steam-Vacuum Treatment of Pig Carcass Surfaces, Journal of
    Food Protection. 89 (2025).
  ieee: 'J. Tholen <i>et al.</i>, “Steam-Vacuum Treatment of Pig Carcass Surfaces,”
    <i>Journal of Food Protection</i>, vol. 89, no. 2, Art. no. 100687, 2025, doi:
    <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687">10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687</a>.'
  mla: Tholen, Janna, et al. “Steam-Vacuum Treatment of Pig Carcass Surfaces.” <i>Journal
    of Food Protection</i>, vol. 89, no. 2, 100687, 2025, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687</a>.
  short: J. Tholen, A. Kirse, H. von Haacke, L. Kreienbrock, L. Strotkötter, G.S.
    Althoff, M. Upmann, Journal of Food Protection 89 (2025).
  ufg: '<b>Tholen, Janna u. a.</b>: Steam-Vacuum Treatment of Pig Carcass Surfaces,
    in: <i>Journal of Food Protection</i> 89 (2025), H. 2.'
  van: Tholen J, Kirse A, von Haacke H, Kreienbrock L, Strotkötter L, Althoff GS,
    et al. Steam-Vacuum Treatment of Pig Carcass Surfaces. Journal of Food Protection.
    2025;89(2).
date_created: 2026-03-15T21:28:40Z
date_updated: 2026-04-15T14:12:52Z
department:
- _id: DEP4028
- _id: DEP4029
doi: 10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100687
intvolume: '        89'
issue: '2'
keyword:
- Bile contamination
- Fecal contamination
- Pig carcass color
- Pig carcass decontamination
- Slaughter hygiene
- Tubular rail fat contamination
language:
- iso: eng
place: 'Des Moines, Iowa '
publication: Journal of Food Protection
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1944-9097
  issn:
  - 0362-028X
publication_status: published
publisher: IAFP
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Steam-Vacuum Treatment of Pig Carcass Surfaces
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 89
year: '2025'
...