The Hygienic Practices Involved in Three Game Meat Production Systems in South Africa Based on Environmental and other Independent Variables

Abstract

Independent variables based on EU standards were used to compare environmental and other differences between three hunting systems, in terms of safety and quality. System 1 (Sys1) supplied game animals intended for the export market, System 2 (Sys2) supplied game carcasses intended for the local market, but was subjected to the training and application of specific hygiene and safety guidelines and System 3 (Sys3) game carcasses intended for the local market, but not subjected to the application of any health and safety guidelines. Although the process of obtaining a game carcass cannot be compared to the process followed in beef slaughterhouses, the export market standard was used as criterion of compliance and due to a total lack of standards or control for the local game meat market. The identified variables are situational and are based on procedural, environmental and other parameters as specified in the South African Veterinary Procedural Notices (VPN) that are specific guidelines linked to a regulation and in compliance with standards from countries of import. The observations and tests conducted in the study showed a considerable difference in the independent variables tested for the three systems. It was however, concluded that Sys1 and Sys2 differed only with regards to the training component. It was concluded that the independent variables compared with these two systems questions the strict EU requirements and costly formal registered abattoirs when simplified and practical hygiene guidelines render carcasses with similar status.