IMPACT OF OPERATIONAL HYGIENE ON THE CONDEMNATION RATE OF BOVINE CARCASSES

Abstract

 Operational hygiene in slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants is an essential factor in ensuring food safety, beef quality, and the protection of public health. Inadequate hygienic-sanitary practices throughout the slaughter process may favor microbiological contamination, increasing carcass condemnation rates and generating significant economic impacts for the production sector. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate, through a scientific literature review, the influence of operational hygiene conditions on the condemnation rates of bovine carcasses, seeking to understand how failures in hygienic-sanitary procedures interfere with the quality and safety of meat products. This is an integrative literature review with a qualitative approach, carried out in the LILACS and MEDLINE databases through the Virtual Health Library, considering studies published between 2020 and 2025. The descriptors “Cattle,” “Beef Cattle,” “Animal Health,” and “Veterinary Public Health” were used, combined with the Boolean operator AND, according to previously established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were organized into tables and analyzed descriptively. The results showed that failures in operational hygiene practices, especially during critical stages such as evisceration and carcass handling, are directly associated with increased microbiological contamination and, consequently, higher condemnation rates. The proper adoption of measures such as surface and equipment sanitation, temperature control, effective disinfection, and continuous staff training significantly contributes to reducing losses. In addition, self-control programs such as GMP, SSOP, and HACCP proved to be fundamental for monitoring and controlling sanitary risks. It is concluded that operational hygiene directly influences bovine carcass condemnation rates, being decisive for meat quality, food safety, and the economic sustainability of the sector. Therefore, strengthening sanitary practices, combined with professional training and the implementation of efficient control systems, is essential to reduce condemnations and improve production processes.