104.
THE. IUPORTANCE. OF HEA.1 I N S P E C T I O N AND H Y G I E N E .
I N THE 0 P E R I . T i O N UF A. NEA.1 L A B O R A J O R Y
PROF.
W I L L I A M J.
LOEFFLL
U N I V E R S I T Y OF NEBRASKA
The high esteem i n which meat i s held i n the American d i e t a r y i s
due i n no small p a r t t o the American standards of meat inspection which a r e
admittedly t h e most exacting i n t h e world today.
Meat inspection i s not new. The Egyptians designated t h e hog as
unclean and prohibited i t s uee f o r human food. Some believe that t h e Jewish
Kosher regulations as set up i n the Old Testament were an attempt t o safeguard the food supply of the people by the rabbis, the learned men of the
t r i b e s . Mohemnedan food regulations, t o a l a r g e degree, follow the p a t t e r n
of the Jewish and the Egyptian regulation8 i n considering the hog and the dog
a8 u n f i t f o r food. On t h e other hand, pork was r e l i s h e d by t h e Romans, and
the Greeks showed a preference f o r t h e f l e s h of young c a s t r a t e d dogs. The
Athenian meat market was policed since e a r l i e s t times, and i n Rome, meat was
inszected o f f i c i a l l y since the year 388. With t h e f a l l of the Roman Empire,
inspection ceased.
It w a s not u n t i l the spread of C h r i s t i a n i t y i n Northern Europe that
A t t h e beginning of the
e i g h t h century, Apostle Bonafacius, at t h e d i r e c t i o n of Pope Gregory 111, prohibited the consumption of horse meat, Later he d i r e c t e d that pork products
could be eaten only after thorough cooking, The consumption of the f l e s h of
diseased, dead, or t o r n animals wae prohibited.
we f i n d any attempt t o regulate food h a b i t s t h e r e ,
Regulations governing meat were found as e a r l y as 1120 i n Freiburg,
and merchantable and unmerchmtable meats were d i f f e r e n t i a t e d by a law passed
a t Basel i n 1248.
In the United States, meat inspection began as a municipal e n t e r prine i n s c a t t e r e d c i t i e s . By 1879, t h e export of Americm products had grown
t o considerable proportions. Inporters of American pork products became
alarmed a t the presence of T r i c h i n e l l a i n these items, I t a l y , i n 1891, barred
the importation of American bacon, m a c t i o n promptly followed by Austria,
Germany, and France. I n 1882, Great B r i t a i n prohibited the importation of
American c a t t l e because of contagious pleuropneumonia.
Theee two t h r e a t s against the i n f a n t meat industry caused the
Americasl Congress t o pass t h e first meat inspection a c t , t h a t of A u g u s t 30,
1890, which provided f o r the inspection of salted pork and bacon, This a c t
d i d not prove acceptable t o t h e foreign governments and a new l a w m e passed
on W c h 3, 1891. This latter l e g i s l a t i o n was designed not o n l y t o p r o t e c t a
growing Americm industry, b u t also t o safeguard the food supply of t h i s
country, The administration of meat inspection wae placed under the jurisd i c t i o n of the U. S. Bureau of Animal Industry which had been e s t a b l i s h e d i n
1884. The f i r s t inspection under the new law was made on May 12, 1891, m d
within a s h o r t t i m e t h e r e a f t e r t h e prohibitions against the importation of
American meats were withdrawn by the European nations. The new a c t provided
f o r both ante-mortem and post-mortem e m i n a t i o n e of a l l animals slaughtered
f o r i n t e r s t a t e and export trade, and t h e miscroacopic examination f o r
T r i c h i n e l l e of all pork intended f o r export.
105.
About 1903, Uston S i n c l a i r wrote a book c a l l e d "The Jungle" which
c a l l e d a t t e n t i o n t o alleged unsanitary conditions i n packing p l a n t s partic u l a r l y i n the canning departments. Up t o this time, meat inspection had concerned i t s e l f primarily with the h e a l t h of the animals slaughtered and had
given l i t t l e a t t e n t i o n t o s a n i t a t i o n . Out of the popular clamor f o r correct i v e l e g i s l a t i o n grew the meat inspection a c t of June 30, 1906, the most
s t r i n g e n t body of lews and regulations of i t s kind i n the world,
Meat inspection, according t o American standards, concerns i t s e l f w i t h
three things, the h e a l t h of the animal, the s a n i t a t i o n of the p l a n t , and
l a s t l y , the correct and proper l a b e l i n g of the product.
The h e a l t h of the animal i s of importance f o r there a r e many
animal diseases which may be transmitted t o man by contact with the animals
o r with the mat o r other products. Among these may be mentioned anthrax,
foot4nd-mouth disease, swine erysipelas, Brucellosis, tularemia, and tuberculosis. Certain p a r a s i t i c diseases, such as t r i c h i n o s i s , may a l s o be transmitted through the consumption of raw o r i n s u f f i c i e n t l y cooked meat.
It is generally recognized t h a t where meat i s properly cooked, the
i n t e r n a l temperature i s r a i s e d above the p a s t e u r i z a t i o n point, so t h a t there
is l i t t l e likelihood of t r a n s m i t t i n g disease through the cooked product.
There is always the p o s s i b i l i t y that meat may n o t be thoroughly cooked.
Another source of danger i s t h e handling of meat from i n f e c t e d animals. There
is a danger from the e n t r y of pathogenic material through abrasions of the
skin. Sometimes the hands m y touch t h e mouth a f t e r handling a piece of meat
from an i n f e c t e d animal, thus carrying the i n f e c t i o n t o the person. Certain
dise&ses, such a8 swine e r y s i p e l a s and undulant fever, m e d e f i n i t e l y r e cognized today as occupational hazards, We should recognize t h i s f a c t and
point out t o our c l a s s e s t h e need of good personal hygiene, such a3 washing
the hands thoroughly after handling meat. We never know when t h e beef we
slaughter o r cut up m y be p o s i t i v e t o a Bang's t e s t or when t h e pig may be
infected w i t h erysipelas.
People must recognize t h a t the mere Pact that a carcass hae been
passed by a meat inspector does not guarantee it t o be f r e e from all infect i o n . The p o s i t i v e r e a c t i n g animal t o a. Bang's t e s t i s passed f o r food i f
no complicating disease i s found. A person might contract undulant fever
from handling a c u t of meat f'rorn such a carcass. Further, the "inspected
and passed stamp" does not guarantee the meat t o be f r e e from T r i c h i n e l l a .
O f course, such meat items made from o r containing pork as a r e normally
eaten without cooking, such a a summer sausage, must be processed i n such a
way as t o remove a l l hazard. This i s nccomplished by freezing a t very low
temperatures f o r s t a t e d periods of time.
Under f e d e r a l inspection, t h e h e a l t h of the animal i s checked on
the l i v i n g animal (ante-mortem inspection) and, also, on the carcass and
viscera. during and after t h e slaughtering process (post-mortem i n s p e c t i o n ) .
Even after the product has been paosed f o r food, the inspection legend may be
removed and the product condemned i f i t becomes contaminated or otherwise
unsuitable f o r human consumption.
Under f e d e r a l meat inspection, every slaughtering or processing
establishment has an establishment number. This makes it possible t o t r a c e
beck any piece of defective meat, No doubt t h i s has been a very e f f e c t i v e
mean8 of maintaining inspection on a U g h plane,
106.
In other countries where food i s more ~ c a r c e , l i t t l e meat i t 3 condemned. Meat i s divided i n t o three categories: that which is passed 8 s f r e e
from disease; second, meat from mildly diseased animals which is sold with
express i n s t r u c t i o n s t h a t it be thoroughly cooked; and l a s t l y , meat from
s e r i o u s l y diseased animals which is cooked i n the packing p l a n t s t o be sure
t h a t the cooking i s properly done.
In meat hygiene, we a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n the s a n i t a t i o n of the meat
plant, not only from the a e s t h e t i c standpoint, but a l s o from the point of view
t h a t even good meat m y be contaminated by careleso handling a f t e r dressing.
Meat is ru1 excellent food not only f o r mankind, but a l s o f o r a host of bacteria,
many o f which f o r t u n a t e l y a r e harmless, but occasionally a pathogen gets i n
which may cause a. good case of food poisoning.
So far as possible, the meat laboratory should embody a l l of the
p r i n c i p l e s of good s a n i t a r y pclckfnghouse construction. It should always be
a model of cleanliness and s a n i t a t i o n t h a t it may impress upon students, patrons,
and v i s i t o r s t h e need of handling meat in t h e b e s t possible manner. Coolers
e s p e c i a l l y should be clean and sweet.
Thoseofus who are g e t t i n g along, with o l d buildings sometimes f i n d
it d i f f i c u l t t o keep thingB ship-shape. P e s t s such a8 flies, roaches, mice,
and rats sometimes g e t i n . New control methods o f f e r d e f i n i t e promise. O f f i z l ,
refuse, and manure must not be allowed t o accumulate about the meat laboratory.
Perhaps as good a guide as t o t h e kind of housekeeping i s the cond i t i o n of the storerooms, These are a necessary e v i l and should be kept i n
a8 good shape a s possible.
It i s important t o c r e a t e i n the meat laboratory an atmosphere of
cleanliness t h a t will c r e a t e in the students a wholesome appreciation of the
need f o r it. A n i n d u s t r i a l p l a n t found t h e i r employees s p i t t i n g on the s t a i r ways. Painting t h e stairs white stopped t h i s p r a c t i c e e f f e c t i v e l y . So a new
p a i n t job may be i n order. Ample and convenient; t o i l e t cmd locker rooms a r e
a big help. Lsvrztories and s t e r i l i z e r s w i t h ample supplies of liquid soap and
paper towels are a necessity on t h e k i l l i n g and c u t t i n g floor. Greasy f l o o r s
a r e not o n l y w s a n i t a r y , b u t a r e an i n v i t a t i o n t o hccidents.
I usually spend the f i r s t period w i t h a new meat c l a s s s t r e s s i n g
t w o points -- safety, and cleanliness. The a t t i t u d e of some o f o w students
on t h e l a t t e r reminds me of a f a v o r i t e story of a packing house superintendent
f r i e n d of mine. I n a l l t h e l a v a t o r i e s t h e y posted a sign very prominently,
s t a t i n g "Wash your hand8 before returning t o your work." This superintendent
waa in a lavatory one day t o f i n d an employee make a break f o r t h e door without t h e ablution. "Here, here," he called, "do you see that sign?"
"Yes," r e p l i e d the man, "but I ' m not going back t o my work, I ' m
going t o e a t my lunch."
Clean clothing is a problem i n a meat laboratory. The i d e a l setup
would provide laundry service, although we have not been able t o do t h a t . We
use yellow o i l s k i n waterproof aprong. This year, we a r e requiring our students
t o wear paper cape, which c o s t $ cents each. We l i k e tnem very much.
The need of scrubbing hands and keeping f i n g e r n a i l s s h o r t and clean
are pointed out repeatedly. One of the c a p i t a l s i n s i n our laboratory i s f o r
a student t o s i t on a meat block,
107.
The need f o r proper and correct Labeling of meats and meat food products i s so self-evident, but t h a t i s not a problem which i s of much importcvlce
i n operating a college meat laboratory.
About t w o - t h i r d s of the m a t produced i n t h i s country i s produced
under f e d e r a l inspection. All meats which move i n i n t e r s t a t e t r a f f i c must be
f e d e r a l l y inspected. Much o f the remainder i s inspected by Local and a t a t e
health authorities.
If meat inspection i s good from a public h e a l t h standpoint, we i n
our teaching and research work should recognize it. Federal inspection i s out
of the question f o r most of us. Where t h e r e i s no provision f o r l o c ~ inl
spection, most of UB can make arrangements with our college v e t e r i n a r y depcrtments. Some of u s a r e l o c a t e d i n i n s t i t u t i o n s where veterinary colleges are
located. All veterinary colleges o f f e r courses i n meat hygiene and inspection, and the meat laboratory may w e l l provide laboratory t r a i n i n g i n t h i s
f i e l d . Meat inspection i n a teaching laboratory i s d i f f e r e n t from t h a t i n a
commercial plant. Sometimes you must w a i t f o r the inspector and sometimes the
inspector must w a i t on you. It i s a matter of give and take and working out,
an arrangement taking i n t o account t h e problems of both p a r t i e s .
My great concern with meat work i s t o keep it on a c o l l e g i a t e level.
If a l l we teach i s slaughtering and t h e c u t t i n g of meats, 1 fear that our work
i s on a t r a d e Echool basis, We can remedy t h i s by mking the meat laboratory
an e f f e c t i v e adjunct t o good animal husbandry teaching.
No animal should be elaughtered without a c a r e f u l a p p r a i s a l on foot
and an estimation of i t s carcass p o t e n t i a l i t i e s . The l i v e weight, dressing
y i e l d should be estimated and these estimates should be checked a f t e r slaughter.
Attention should he c a l l e d t o desirable and undesirable q u a l i t i e s .
The lcboratory should be used as a mems of studying anatomy,
physiology, pathology, parasitology, and applying t h e f a c t s learned i n a
n u t r i t i o n o r physiology of reproduction course, It i s i n t h i s connection that
the help of a good veterinary inspector i s most useful. If he w i l l take the
time t o explain w h a t he i s t r y i n g t o do, he can be very helpful. He should
explain t h e appearance of the various organs i n h e a l t h and i n disease.
Charts and sketches of t h e Pour-compartment stomach of the ruminant
may n o t mean too much t o the student i n a feeding course. However, when he
sees them separated out on the k i l l i n g floor, he i s l i k e l y t o remember them
f o r years t o come. The boy who has t o run a s e t o f casings, l a y them out and
measure t h e i r length w i l l not f o r g e t these f a c t s very soon. The l i f e h i s t o r y
of t h e round worm and i t s control may have held l i t t l e of i n t e r e s t t o t h e
student i n e pork production class. However, let him dress out a wormy p i g
and he i s i n an extremely receptive mood t o l e a r n a l l he can about these s m e
facts.
It i s impossible t o cut neat i n t e l l i g e n t l y without a thorough knowledge of t h e bones. This study Is usually dry and uninteresting. However,
t h e student who can see the usefulness of t h i s knowledge f o r t h o proper i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of meat c u t s usually a p p l i e s himself d i l i g e n t l y .
CHAIRMAN TOMHAVE:
on t h i s subject?
Professor McClurg, w i l l you l e a d the dlscussion
,
108.
PROFESSOR HcCLURG; Profeusor Loeffel has given us a good h i s t o r y
on t h e meat inspection and hygiene, and he has d e f i n i t e l y given us some good
suggestions t o follow i n our laboratory work a8 far as s a n i t c t i o n and how it
may be applied t o cLaee work.
PROFESSOR ZIEGLER: What's the psychology behind your wearing
those paper caps? They don't do much good.
PROFESSOR LOEFFEL: I think they do a l o t of good. I n our
i n s t i t u t i o n a l management, g i r l s , f o r instance, who work behind t h e counter
i n a c a f e t e r i a are required t o wear a heir net o r something of that s o r t .
PROFESSOR ZTEGLER:
You said slaughtering.
PROFESSOR LOE3?FEL: Well, i n slaughtering. We have them put on t h e i r
f r e e h caps i n the c u t t i n g c l a s s , and when they get a l i t t l e dog-eared, they
wear them i n t h e k i l l i n g clasees, and then they go i n the waste basket.
PROFESSOR Z I E G m : You t e l l me how t o get the g i r l s t o t r i m t h e i r
t a l o n s and take the p a i n t o f f .
PROFESSOR LOEFFEL:
You a r e asking too much now.
PROFESSOR SNYDER: Do you r e q u i r e your boys t o wear standard uniform
a l l t h e way through?
e aok them t c wear clean clothing.
PROFESSOR LOEFFEL: We don't. W
One thing I w i l l not l e t a boy do -- it i s q u i t e a temptation -- coming t o the
meat lab. with a p a i r of o v e r a l l s o r a work s N r t , or whatever he chooses t o
wear
white clothing - a few days l a t e r he comes busting i n t o the locker t o
g e t that s t u f f and want t o wear it i n a t r a c t o r l a b o r a t o r y o r blackslnith shop,
o r sometMng of that s o r t .
I turn thumbs down on that.
--
These killing clothes have t o be used j u s t for t h a t , and I t e l l them
t o take them home and give them a s u r p r i s e every so often, don't wear them
until they stand up by themselves.
PROFESSOR COLE: I wonder if you t h i n k it i s neceesary for students
t o have a blood t e s t when your mat i s being s o l d through r e t a i l counters.
FBOFESSOR LoEFFEX: I have ofter, wondered about t L a t , I n our city
now, everybody who works i n a r e s t a u r a n t o r h a n u e s food i n any way has t o
have a blood t e s t ,
PROFESSOR SNYDER:
Doesn't your school require a health examination.
PROFESSOR LOEF'FEL: Yes, we have a h e a l t h e x a d n a t i o n a t t h e beginning of t h e semester, O f couree, t h e r e i s always a chance f o r contamination
during t h e school year. I do think that'a a good program.
PROFESSOR COMFORT: I ' d l i k e t o ask Dave Mackintosh how t o keep
them dressed white, What system do you use, Drtvey? Every time I have been
out there, you seem t o have them dressed f o r parade, o r are they that way all
the time?
PROFESSOR MACKINTOSH:
b i l l t h i s year was about $400.00
That's a c o s t l y undertaking.
Our laundry
109.
PROFESSOR COMFORT:
Do you supply them?
PROFESSOR COMFCIRT:
Do you supply the aprons o r t h e uniforms?
I
PROFESSOR MACKINTOSH:
We used t o supply coats and aprons. O u r coats
have become sadly dilapidated, and the purchase of new coats i s prohibitive so
far as we are concerned, so we have r a t h e r modernized coats with f r i l l s that
some of them do use, but we have an auple supply of aprons, and they are not
supposed t o come- on t h e f l o o r without a clean apron.
PROFESSOR MACKINTOSH:
PROFESSOR LOEFFEL:
We supply the aprons.
Do you have a lab. fee?
PROFESSOR MACKINTOSH: We have a lab. fee. I think it i s $3.00,
which doesn't begin t o cover t h e laundry cost i n i t s e l f .
PROFESSOR H I U I E R : Do they do t h e inspection, o r do you have t o
c a l l i n the l o c a l veterinarian?
e have i n Lincoln a C i t y Health Department,
PROFESSOR LOEFTEL: W
and according t o l a w , we a r e required t o c a l l the veterinarian every time we
contemplate slaughtering. I n other words, we have an arrangement. I f we
a r e going t o k i l l Tuesday, we c a l l the v e t e r i n a r i a n ' s o f f i c e Tuesday morning,
t e l l them we a r e going t o have s o much stuff f o r him t o inspect a t 4:OO
o 'clock.
PROFESSOR COLE:
you keep a record of i t ?
Would he have a written form then t o sign,
Oi"
do
PROFESSOR LOEFFEL: He keeps a record and we keep a record, too.
There i s no signature, but we have t o pay a fee, t h i r t y cents for c a t t l e , and
twenty cents f o r small stock; that ie, a p i g o r a lamb or a c a l f -- anything
425 pounds. A c a l f we have t o pay 20 cents a head f o r inspection.
PROFESSOR SNYDER: One other question, B i l l .
t e s t s for trichinosis at a l l ?
PROFESSOR LOEJTFEL:
Are you running any
We haven't been.
PROFESSOR SNYDER: It might be i n t e r e n t i n g here t o say that every
hog that has been k i l l e d i n our laboratory since t h e beginning o f time -- it
i s a few over 19,000 -- we have never found a case yet that has been laboratory
t e s t e d , and the v e t e r i n a r i a n d i v i s i o n of our i n s t i t u t i o n gives us t h a t service.
PROFESSOR LOEFFEL:
Where do they g e t t h a t sample, out of the s k i r t ?
PROFESSOR SNYDER: That's r i g h t , diaphragm, j u s t a small s e c t i o n of
the d i a p h r a p , and t h a t r e p o r t is given us back before we c u t that p i g the
next d ay.
PROFESSOR LQEFFEL: I have always had a f e e l i n g that our Middle
Western hogs that a r e grown on a l f a l f a and grain have r e l a t i v e l y l i t t l e
t r i c h i n a i n f e s t a t i o n , but I t h i n k where you do get it i s with garbage-fed pigs.
PROFESSOR SNYDER: I was p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r s t e d . We have a high
percentage of garbage-fed pig6 k i l l e d , and you have always seen r e p o r t s of it
110.
coming from there, but we haven't had it, so that was a l i t t l e side r e p o r t
there on that inspection.
PROFESSOR LOEFFEL:
July 1
PROFESSOR McCLW:
If there are no more questione, I'll t u r n t h i s
back t o M r . Tomhave.
cH4-
TOMHAVE:
Thank you.
3 think every I n s t r u c t o r i n t h e meat laboratory a t one time or
another has been confronted with minor or serious accidents among students,
and we w i l l now hear from Professor B. R. McClurg of the Iowa S t a t e College,
who is going t o q s c u s s : Safety Rule8 and Precautions i n the Meat Laboratory.
Professor McClurg,