Table 1.

Categories of processing interventions used to summarize and report efficacy data in this review.

Intervention categoriesa	Definition
Dry heat	Non-hydrating thermal interventions such a forced-air heating.
Electricity	Application of electricity through, for example, electric stunners.
Multiple intervention combinations	Combination of two or more intervention types.
Non-thermal	Non-chemical and non-heat-based interventions that aim to reduce microbial contamination while preserving product quality and nutrients that can be affected by thermal treatments (100). Examples include irradiation, plasma gases, and high pressure processing.
Packaging-based interventions	Includes a range of interventions that can be applied to prevent spoilage and inhibit microbial growth during final product distribution and storage.
Standard processing steps/GHPs
Bunging	Closing off the rectum during removal of intact viscera at slaughter to minimize the spread of cross-contamination on a carcass (92).
Chilling	Step at the end of the slaughter process and before fabrication of rapidly reducing the carcass temperature to prevent microbial growth and preserve product quality.
Cleaning/disinfection	The removal of dirt and organic substances from and sanitation of meat processing plant equipment and environments.
HACCP	An internationally recognized system that identifies, evaluates, and controls hazards that are significant for food safety.
Scalding	Step during pork processing of immersing pigs in hot water tanks with the primary purpose of softening hairs on the pig skin to make them easier to remove.
Singeing	Step during pork processing of removing remaining hairs from a pig carcass.
Steam vacuuming	Spot application of steam and/or hot water to loosen soil and kill bacteria, followed by a vacuum to remove contaminants.
Trimming	Physical removal of visible contamination from carcasses.
Washes/rinses/sprays
Hot water/steam pasteurization	Heat treatment to destroy microbial cells.
Multiple wash combinations	Combinations of two or more types of washes, rinses, or sprays.
Natural extracts	Plant-based and other (e.g. dairy) extracts.
Organic acids	Antimicrobials such as lactic, acetic, and citric acid that affect microbial growth through disruptions to nutrient transport and energy generation and that can cause injury to microbial cells through their low pH (100).
Other chemicals	Chemicals that destroy bacteria through various actions, such as oxidation and disruption of cellular functions, or that prevent bacterial attachment to meat (100). Examples include chlorine, trisodium phosphate, acidified sodium chlorite, and ozone.
Protective bacterial cultures	Lactic acid bacteria to control pathogens through the production of antimicrobial compounds.
Water	Ambient or cold water to physically remove contamination.

^aNote that categories are only shown here if they were represented by at least one study identified in the review and reported results on efficacy against Salmonella.