Features of snail expertise

Snails are a delicacy that people have been eating for centuries. Products made from this meat contain few calories per 100 grams and fill the human body with useful elements. They can be prepared by cooking, namely escargot with various fillings (Burgundy snails, Catalan snails, Asian snails, snails with porcini mushrooms), and also, now a new type of product containing m gastropod mollusks – puffs with snails. If determining the quality and nutritional value of meat, it is necessary to determine indicators, if there is doubt about its suitability, which characterize the chemical composition, freshness, as well as the determination of microbiological contamination. The purpose of this work was to determine the features and practical aspects of examination of gastropod molluscs – snails. The studies highlighted in the scientific publications of Ukrainian scientists are significant, but they relate to the determination of the degree of freshness of snail meat by various methods and the organization of snail farming in various ways. Snails are a delicacy, dietary product of high commercial value and belong to the few types of food products. They are subject to mandatory veterinary and sanitary examination. A special feature of examination of snails is microbiological and bacteriological types of control to establish their general safety. In the course of research, first of all, the organoleptic indicators of molluscs, which reflect their freshness, are determined. Next, they conduct research on the presence of pathogenic microflora, determine the presence of radionuclides, conduct bacteriological research. In addition to the mollusk itself, the water with which they are irrigated, as well as the soil – the permanent habitat of snails – are also examined for the presence of helminth eggs. It was established that it is necessary to carry out laboratory control of each batch of snail meat for the content of microorganisms, such as MAFAnM, BGKP (coliforms), coagulase-positive staphylococcus (S. aureus), bacteria of the genus Proteus, pathogenic microorganisms, including salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, radionuclides – Cs-137 and Sr-90 and helminths (nematodes).