[Greenish discolorations of beef musculature and their assessment according the meat hygiene regulations. A case report].
In muscular tissue samples from two cows of different origin numerous greenish, spotlike tissue discolourations were diagnosed as eosinophilic myositis. Sarcosporidiosis is being suspected as the most likely cause. Factors leading to such cases of myositis due to sarcosporidiosis which is wide-spread in cattle and normally inapparent are largely unknown. According to Swiss and German meat inspection directives beef carcasses with these discolourations have to be declared as unfit for human consumption. However, during meat inspection such cases of myositis are problematic to diagnose, because the lesions are only visible on the cut end of muscle tissue. Hence, they can pass unnoticed through carcass inspection.