ISO 23781:2021

Overview

ISO 23781:2021 - Operating procedures of pig slaughtering - specifies pre‑slaughter requirements, step‑by‑step operating procedures and storage/other requirements for commercial pig slaughter operations. The standard covers animal welfare, hygienic slaughter practices, processing stages (stunning, bleeding, scalding, dehairing, evisceration, splitting), and post‑slaughter handling. It is applicable to routine pig slaughter; some pig categories (e.g., piglets, breeding pigs) may follow alternate procedures.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Pre‑slaughter controls
  • Present only healthy, clean, appropriately identified animals.
  • Rest and water availability in lairage; ante‑mortem inspection per CAC/RCP 58-2005.
  • Record farm of origin and follow animal welfare guidance (OIE TAHC).
• Restraint and stunning
  • Restraint must enable correct stunning/bleeding.
  • Approved methods: electrical stunning, gas stunning (CO2 or inert gases), captive bolt.
  • Monitor unconsciousness at key stages; re‑stun immediately if ineffective; do not process conscious animals.
• Bleeding
  • Immediate bleeding after stunning; head‑only electrical stunning: <15 s to bleed; other electrical: ≤30 s (gas stunning allows longer anaesthesia).
  • Specific knife placement and cut length (~5 cm); minimum bleed time ≥3 min.
  • Time limits: bleeding → offal removal ≤30 min; bleeding → pre‑chill ≤45 min.
• Scalding and dehairing
  • Steam scalding: 59–62 °C for 6–8 min. Hot‑water scalding: 58–63 °C for 3–6 min.
  • Maintain hygiene of scalding water; avoid over/under‑scalding.
• Carcass processing
  • Pre‑drying, singeing, cleaning/polishing, bunging, evisceration (protect offal integrity), splitting, head/feet removal, trimming.
  • Inspection points and methods to prevent contamination; wash cavities and discard contaminated tissues.
• Chilling, freezing, storage
  • Requirements for timely chilling/freezing and hygienic storage practices are specified to ensure food safety.

Applications and who uses it

• Slaughterhouse operators and plant managers developing SOPs and HACCP plans.
• Food safety officers, veterinary inspectors, and regulators auditing compliance.
• Meat processing engineers and equipment suppliers designing line flows (restraint, scalding, chilling).
• Animal welfare officers and quality assurance teams implementing humane slaughter practices.
• Trainers and consultants creating staff training and operational checklists.

Related standards

• CAC/RCP 58-2005 (Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat)
• OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code (OIE TAHC), 2021
• ISO/TS 34700:2016 (animal welfare guidance)

Keywords: ISO 23781:2021, pig slaughtering, operating procedures, stunning, bleeding, scalding, evisceration, food safety, animal welfare, slaughterhouse SOPs.