THE ROLE OF EQUIPMENT THAT HAS DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE CARCASE IN THE SPREAD OF SALMONELLA IN A BEEF ABATTOIR.

Counts of Salmonella were performed by the most probable number technique on 16 articles of abattoir equipment having direct contact with the carcase. Forty samples were collected from each article over 21 months. The contamination rate of these articles with salmonellae varied from nil % for a saw used to quarter the sides to 47.5% for stainless steel tables and hooks. Mesh gloves were also highly contaminated, salmonellae being isolated from 32.5% of gloves on the slaughter floor and 40% of those in the boning room. Salmonella counts ranged from 1.0 to 3,663 organisms per article. Mesh gloves, cutting boards and stainless steel tables were found to have counts that were at times of greater than 1,000 salmonellae per article.