Sanitary Dressing and Antimicrobial Intervention 

Implementation at Veal Slaughter Establishments: 

Identified Issues and Best Practices

The purpose of this document is to help veal slaughter establishments to implement 

effective sanitary dressing and process-control procedures.

veal slaughter

sanitary dressing best practices 

antimicrobial intervention implementation

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

August 2015
United States Department of Agriculture 2 Food Safety and Inspection Service

veal slaughter

sanitary dressing best practices

Table of Contents

What issues has FSIS identified concerning veal slaughter 

establishments?..................................................................................................4

What are some examples of the sanitary dressing deficiencies 

FSIS observed repeatedly during onsite visits to veal slaughter 

establishments?...................................................................................................4

What are some examples of antimicrobial intervention 

implementation deficiencies FSIS observed repeatedly 

during onsite visits to veal slaughter establishments?...........................8

What other issues did FSIS identify at 

veal slaughter establishments? ...................................................................10

What are some examples of best practices concerning 

sanitary dressing?.............................................................................................10

How do veal slaughter establishments implement effective 

sanitary dressing procedures to prevent carcass contamination 

and the creation of insanitary conditions?...................................................13

What are some examples of best practices concerning antimicrobial 

intervention implementation?........................................................................13

veal slaughter
United States Department of Agriculture 3 Food Safety and Inspection Service

antimicrobial intervention best practices

Table of Contents (continued)

How do veal slaughter establishments implement antimicrobial 

interventions effectively? ............................................................................14

How do establishments properly assess microbial 

testing results?.................................................................................................14

Where do establishments find more information about 

sanitary dressing and process-control procedures?............................15

Where do establishments find more information about identifying 

scientific support and the critical operating parameters in the 

support for their interventions so they can implement their 

interventions effectively?.................................................................................15

Who can establishments contact if they have questions or 

need additional information?.........................................................................15
United States Department of Agriculture 4 Food Safety and Inspection Service

veal slaughter

sanitary dressing deficiencies 

What issues has FSIS identified concerning veal slaughter establishments?

FSIS test results show that the percent positive for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia 

coli (STEC) from trimmings produced from veal appears to be higher than that for trimmings produced from other cattle slaughter classes. FSIS identified common 

deficiencies: inadequate sanitary dressing, ineffective antimicrobial intervention 

implementation, and failure to use microbial data in decisionmaking.

What are some examples of the sanitary dressing deficiencies FSIS 

observed repeatedly during onsite visits to veal slaughter establishments? 

Cutting through 

the weasand 

(esophagus) 

during sticking 

resulting in ingesta 

contaminating the 

carcass and head.

Cutting through 

the hide and 

further processing 

without sanitizing 

knives, gloves, 

and equipment 

adequately to 

prevent carcass 

contamination.
United States Department of Agriculture 5 Food Safety and Inspection Service

sanitary dressing deficiencies

Cutting through 

the hide and 

into the carcass 

without 

sanitizing 

knives, resulting 

in carcass 

contamination.

Hide flaps 

contaminating 

carcass. 

Bagged bung 

contacting 

hide and 

contaminating 

carcass.
United States Department of Agriculture 6 Food Safety and Inspection Service

veal slaughter

sanitary dressing deficiencies 

Exposed bung 

contaminating 

the carcass.

Puncturing 

paunch and 

intestines during 

evisceration, 

resulting 

in carcass 

contamination.

Ingesta from 

punctured 

paunch and 

intestines, 

resulting 

in carcass 

contamination.
United States Department of Agriculture 7 Food Safety and Inspection Service

sanitary dressing deficiencies

Eviscerating 

carcass with the 

hide on, resulting 

in carcass 

contamination.

Cold skinning 

(removing the 

hide after the 

carcass has 

chilled down), 

resulting 

in carcass 

contamination.

Contaminated 

carcass in cooler 

as a result of 

sanitary dressing 

deficiencies. 
United States Department of Agriculture 8 Food Safety and Inspection Service

veal slaughter

 sanitary dressing 

Contaminated 

packaged 

product in 

freezer as a 

result of sanitary 

dressing 

deficiencies.

What are some examples of antimicrobial intervention implementation 

deficiencies FSIS observed repeatedly during onsite visits to veal slaughter 

establishments?

Crosscontamination 

of heads 

from carcass 

intervention 

overspray.
United States Department of Agriculture 9 Food Safety and Inspection Service

antimicrobial intervention deficiencies

Intervention 

failing to achieve 

full carcass 

coverage, thus 

reducing the 

intervention’s 

effectiveness.

Intervention 

failing to achieve 

full product 

coverage, thus 

reducing the 

intervention’s 

effectiveness.

Intervention 

failing to achieve 

full product 

coverage, thus 

reducing the 

intervention’s 

effectiveness.
veal slaughter

sanitary dressing best practices 

United States Department of Agriculture 10 Food Safety and Inspection Service

veal slaughter

sanitary dressing best practices

What other issues did FSIS identify at veal slaughter establishments?

FSIS observed that veal slaughter establishments were not properly evaluating 

testing results, including indicator organism results (e.g., generic E. coli, Aerobic 

Plant Count, or Enterobacteriaceae) on carcasses and STEC on beef manufacturing 

trimmings and in ground veal to help determine how the results impact their 

slaughter operation.

What are some examples of best practices concerning sanitary dressing? 

Misting hides in pens 

to reduce dust and 

dirt particles.

Rodding the weasand 

to free the weasand 

from the trachea, 

making it easier to 

close the weasand.
antimicrobial intervention deficiencies 

United States Department of Agriculture 11 Food Safety and Inspection Service

sanitary dressing best practices

Weasand clip to 

prevent leakage of 

rumen contents.

Reflecting the 

hide away from 

the carcass during 

skinning to prevent 

contamination from 

the hide.

Dual knife system for 

sterilizing knives.
veal slaughter

sanitary dressing best practices 

United States Department of Agriculture 12 Food Safety and Inspection Service

veal slaughter

sanitary dressing best practices

Hide clips for 

preventing 

contamination from 

the hide.

Tying and bagging 

bung to prevent 

spillage of fecal 

material.

Preventing 

puncturing the 

paunch and intestines 

during evisceration.
antimicrobial intervention deficiencies 

United States Department of Agriculture 13 Food Safety and Inspection Service

sanitary dressing best practices

How do veal slaughter establishments implement effective sanitary dressing 

procedures to prevent carcass contamination and the creation of insanitary 

conditions?

Establishments should develop a comprehensive written sanitary dressing program. 

The program should include written procedures to prevent carcass contamination. 

The program should include verification activities that ensure employees are 

performing the procedures as written and the procedures effectively prevent 

contamination. Establishments should assess the effectiveness of their procedures 

using real-time data and assess the impact of microbial results on their slaughter 

operation. 

What are some examples of best practices concerning antimicrobial 

intervention implementation? 

Hind limbs are spread apart to allow 

intervention to achieve full carcass 

coverage.

Applying intervention according to 

supporting documentation.

All nozzles are operational, and 

critical operating parameters are 

met.

Lactic acid dispenser with gauges 

for monitoring temperature and 

pressure that, depending on 

the establishment’s supporting 

documentation, may be critical 

operating parameters.
United States Department of Agriculture 14 Food Safety and Inspection Service

veal slaughter

sanitary dressing best practices

How do veal slaughter establishments implement antimicrobial 

interventions effectively? 

• Identify supporting documentation that closely matches selected intervention.

• Identify critical operating parameters in the supporting documentation.

Critical operating parameters are the specific conditions (such as contact time, 

pH, temperature, and concentration) of the intervention that must be met for the 

intervention to be effective.

• Incorporate critical operating parameters into Hazard Analysis and Critical

Control Point (HACCP) system.

• Implement intervention so that it meets critical operating parameters.

How do establishments properly assess microbial testing results?

• Use test results to assess the effectiveness of their controls for preventing

contamination.

• Identify specific criteria for use when the slaughter process is determined to be

out of control.

• Verify that their slaughter controls are reducing STEC to a non-detectable level

on an ongoing basis.

• Review sanitary dressing procedures and intervention measures to investigate

the cause when microbial test results indicate a loss of process control.

• Perform increased microbial testing to demonstrate that the corrective actions

taken in response to the loss of process control are effective.

FSIS developed the Compliance Guideline for Establishments Sampling Beef 

Trimmings for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) Organisms or 

Virulence Markers. This guidance has general information on verification testing, 

designing sampling plans, and factors affecting the design of sampling.
United States Department of Agriculture 15 Food Safety and Inspection Service

antimicrobial intervention best practices

Where do establishments find more information about sanitary dressing 

and process-control procedures?

Guidance for Minimizing the Risk of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in 

Beef Slaughter Operations at

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/74de2bea-74d6-491b-b2cf-0047650bf0c6/

BeefSlauterGuide.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Best Practices for Beef Slaughter, developed by the beef industry at

http://www.bifsco.org/CMDocs/BIFSCO/Best%20Practices/Best

Pracslaught%20Sept%2009.pdf

Compliance Guideline for Establishments Sampling Beef Trimmings for Shiga 

Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) Organisms or Virulence Markers at

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/e0f06d97-9026-4e1e-a0c2-

1ac60b836fa6/Compliance_Guide_Est_Sampling_STEC_0512.pdf?MOD=AJPERES. 

FSIS PHIS Directive 6410.1 Rev. 1, Verifying Sanitary Dressing and Process Control 

Procedures by Off-line Inspection Program Personnel (IPP) in Slaughter Operations 

of Any Age at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/5d100e39-8eab-4c88-85a3-

bb60147d6e10/PHIS_6410.1.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.

Where do establishments find more information about identifying scientific 

support and the critical operating parameters in the support for their 

interventions so they can implement their interventions effectively?

FSIS Compliance Guidance HACCP Systems Validation at http://www.fsis.usda.

gov/wps/wcm/connect/a70bb780-e1ff-4a35-9a9a-3fb40c8fe584/HACCP_Systems_

Validation.

Who can establishments contact if they have questions or need additional 

information?

Contact the Small Plant Help Desk by telephone at 1-877-FSISHelp (1-877-374-7435) 

or via email at InfoSource@fsis.usda.gov or contact the Office of Policy and Program 

Development through askFSIS at http://askfsis.custhelp.com/ or by telephone at 

1-800-233-3935.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Food Safety and Inspection Service

www.fsis.usda.gov