The contamination with Salmonella of bovine livers in an abattoir

Fifty livers from normal slaughter cattle were examined for surface contamination by Salmonella immediately after evisceration and again after inspection. Salmonella were isolated from 32% at evisceration and from 82% after inspection. Numbers of Salmonella present were low at evisceration, and rose after inspection. In only one liver was the parenchyma infected. The sources of the Salmonella were probably the contents of the gastrointestinal tract and the mesenteric lymph nodes, both of which may show high prevalence of infection in cattle which have been held before slaughter. It was concluded that edible offal should be separated from the viscera at evisceration and inspected by personnel who are not involved with the alimentary tract.