Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/181770
8 News maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 Closing down slaughterhouse not an option – Galdes Agriculture spokesperson highlights steps to address 'serious health risks' in slaughterhouse identified in European Commission's audit report JAMES DEBONO THE immediate enforcement of hygiene requirements at the old slaughterhouse would effectively mean closing it down, a spokesperson for Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Roderick Galdes has told MaltaToday. But the Secretariat is taking a number of steps aimed at addressing the various shortcomings identified in an audit undertaken by the European Commission's Food and Veterinary Organisation (FVO) carried out in January 2013, when the previous administration was still in office. The audit identified "serious shortcomings still present in the old stateowned slaughterhouse in relation to structure, maintenance and general hygiene practices during the slaughter process". It was deemed the shortcomings "could pose a serious public health risk". One of the more serious shortcomings was "visual faecal contamination present on many bovine carcasses, due to poor operational practices". The FVO audit report states, "It was obvious from the documenta- tion seen and the FVO audit findings that the authorities did not have sufficient powers to enforce the hygiene requirements in this old state-owned slaughterhouse". Asked what steps are being taken to address this situation, a spokesperson for Galdes replied that the FVO's observation that the authorities lack the power to enforce hygiene requirements "refers to the fact that the authorities have not closed down operations at the public slaughterhouse". But closing down the "the only slaughterhouse of that magnitude in Malta" would have negative conse- WINTER PUBLIC OPENING HOURS Malta From 1st October to 30th June the opening hours for the public in respect of 8.00am to 12.00pm and from 1.30pm to 3.00pm, from Monday to Thursday, 8.00am and 12.00pm on Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8.00am to 12.00pm. 8.00am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday. Gozo From 1st October to 30th June the opening hours for the public in respect of registrations in Gozo 8.15am to 12.30pm, from Monday to Thursday, 8.15am and 12.00pm on Fridays. For Job Centre services, 2.00pm to 3.00pm, from Monday to Thursday, 12.30pm on Fridays. 8.15am to 12.30pm and 8.15am and quences, such as an accumulation of animals on farms, which would drastically increase stocking densities, resulting in unfavourable situations from an animal welfare perspective. "Such a closure would also create big financial impacts on the whole chain." But the ministry is already taking steps to address the various problems – falling short of closing the slaughterhouse. Veterinary officers are taking extra care during inspections, both before and after the slaughter, and ensuring that any animals presented for slaughter in an inappropriate state of cleanliness are not slaughtered. Such animals are sent to an isolation stable until they are clean enough for slaughter, at the expense of the farmer. All carcasses are also being re-inspected after the usual post-mortem inspection to make sure that there is no contamination. All carcasses also undergo the relevant tests for mad cow disease and Trichinella spiralis, an internal parasite found in pork and horsemeat. The ministry also pointed out that in Malta none of these diseases has been detected. One of the issues identified in the FVO report is the lack of adequate changing facilities and canteen areas for the staff, to avoid their leaving the premises at any time during the slaughter process and the possible introduction of contaminants. This is being resolved by building and extending the existing facilities for both the dirty and clean areas of the bovine and swine slaughter lines. Another issue identified in the report is the maintenance of the structure itself and the equipment used. The ministry described the improvement of facilities as a continuous process. In the past months an engineer was contracted to evaluate the structure and to identify the maintenance required. An action plan is now in development. Some refurbishment has already been done, but the action plan will cover the whole structure and take a number of years to implement. Danish re-education for butchers The report also highlights shortcomings in the procedures used by the butchers in the abattoir. To improve standards, the government has established contact with a special butchering school in Denmark to find new ways of training the public butchers. The FVO is also calling on the Maltese authorities not to allow the presence of third parties in the dispatch areas and cutting and deboning halls. To achieve this aim, discussions are underway with stakeholders "to find workable systems to avoid having middlemen and shop owners," in these areas. READ MORE @ 'Serious public health risk' persists at abattoir tinyurl.com/p5yu2z7