Slaughterhouse support network (SESC)

Online service intended to enable a final diagnosis of the lesions found in slaughterhouses.

• Online service aimed to facilitate the task of meat inspectors.
• Submission forms are available at the website: https://sesc.cat/en/
• The service allows uploading images of lesions observed in the carcasses inspected at the slaughterhouse.
• Samples can also be submitted to IRTA-CReSA for laboratorial diagnosis.
• Undiagnosed slaughterhouse cases will be collegially discussed and studied by a panel of pathologists and animal health experts from IRTA-CReSA, counting also with the opinion of external advisors (network already established).
• SESC will provide a conclusion to the requesting inspectors.

Main benefits:

• Meat inspector continuing education.
• Public health: zoonosis surveillance.
• Animal health: epidemiological sentinel.

Examples of previous achievements

• The most relevant cases are published in a public blog for continuing education
• SESC has been created by and offers support to the official meat inspectors of the Catalan Government department of public health (Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya) since 2008.
• From 2008 to 2013: 975 enquiries have been managed, of which 116 were solely telematic and 859 included samples for laboratorial analysis.

Download all the services at IRTA-CReSA (PDF)