Under NSIS, post-mortem inspection on the line is performed by which personnel?

• A. FSIS on-line inspector
• B. Plant manager
• C. Quality assurance technician
• D. Veterinarian

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that line-post-mortem inspection on the slaughter floor is carried out by FSIS on-line inspectors. These federal inspectors are stationed on the processing line to examine carcasses as they move past during slaughter, looking for signs of disease, injuries, contamination, or other condemnable conditions. They perform immediate post-mortem checks, determine disposition of product (including condemning if necessary), and ensure proper documentation and corrective actions. The plant manager or internal QA staff do not have the regulatory authority to condemn or approve carcasses, and while a veterinarian may be involved in disease investigations, the on-line FSIS inspector is the designated person for on-the-line post-mortem inspection under NSIS.