European standards applied to slaughterhouses are being strengthened in 2024–2025 through a series of technical clarifications resulting from EFSA evaluations and DG SANTE audit missions. Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 remains the main framework, but recent interpretations place greater emphasis on temperature control, verification of post-evisceration hygiene, and documentation of processing flows — aspects that have become priorities in audits carried out in Member States. EFSA published opinions in 2023 and 2024 regarding microbiological risks associated with the slaughter of cattle, pigs, and poultry, highlighting the need to reduce contamination during skinning, evisceration, and cutting.

DG SANTE indicates that temperature deviations and inconsistent HACCP procedure management are the most frequent non-compliances in slaughterhouses. In the 2022–2024 reports, inspectors noted that facilities with digital temperature monitoring, electronic traceability, and modernized inspection lines have a significantly lower rate of non-conformities. In addition, official controls place increasing emphasis on the separation of clean and dirty flows, equipment maintenance, and verification of the competence of staff involved in inspection and handling.

EFSA recommends that slaughterhouses use updated testing schemes for Salmonella and Campylobacter, aligned with prevalence levels reported in European surveillance data. For cattle and pigs, technical opinions draw attention to contamination risks in cutting areas, where hygiene conditions and the time between slaughter and refrigeration decisively influence microbial load. In the case of poultry, recent assessments indicate that strict application of temperature control below 4°C along the processing chain substantially reduces microbiological risk.

The meat industry must take into account that in 2025 DG SANTE will intensify evaluations regarding the implementation of digital control tools, including real-time temperature monitoring and electronic auditing of procedures. This trend is also supported by the European Commission, which encourages the adoption of traceability technologies and automated compliance verification.

For slaughterhouses, maintaining compliance is not only a legal requirement but also an essential element of competitiveness. Facilities that implement electronic control, continuous training, and rigorous verification mechanisms are better positioned in their relationships with retail and export markets, where quality requirements are becoming increasingly strict.

(Photo: Freepik)