International Conference on the Epidemiology and Control of Biological, Chemical and Physical Hazards in Pigs and Pork
Abstract
The SafePork conference series began in 1996 to bring together international researchers, industry, and government agencies to discuss current Salmonella research and identify research needs pertaining to both pig and pork production. In subsequent years topics of research presented at these conferences expanded to include other chemical and biological hazards to pig and pork production.
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Toxoplasma gondii and the role of pork
Toxoplasma gondii is an important zoonotic pathogen. Humans can acquire T. gondii infection through foodborne or environmental exposure, and recent estimates suggest that more than 10 million human cases of toxoplasmosis occur globally every year. Infections in humans can be post-natal (i.e. acquired toxoplasmosis) or vertical (i.e. congenital toxoplasmosis). Because congenital toxoplasmosis is considered particu-larly problematic due to the severe health effects it can cause in children since birth and the possibility of fetal death, its public health impact has been more extensively studied than acquired toxoplasmosis, where infection is usually associated with mild flu-like symptoms. However, several newer studies suggest that in some cases ocular disease and severe syndromes such as psychiatric disorders may develop as a result of infection.
Assessment of the impact of omitting palpation of the lungs and the liver at meat inspection
Meat inspection of finisher pigs is gradually moving from traditional inspection involving palpation and incision to a more visual inspection. However, what do we miss if we no longer palpate and incise? This is addressed in this paper which focuses specifically on palpation of the lungs and the liver. A risk assessment following international guidelines was undertaken. The assessment shows that omission of these routine palpations on finisher pigs from controlled housing (i.e. herds with high biosecurity) will have no significant impact on food safety. The reasoning for reaching these conclusions is presented in the following.
Assessment of human risk for yersinosis after consumption of Danish produced non-heat-treated ready-to-eat pork products
The objectives were to evaluate the risk of obtaining an infective dose of Yersinia enterocolitica (Y. enterocolitica) after consuming fermented sausages (made in a controlled process) and smoked filet made of Danish pork. For fermented sausages it was estimated that a maximum of two bacteria would be present in a serving of up to 40 g. However, most likely only one bacterium would be present per serving (4,000 times of one million simulations of 40 g serving’s = 0.4 %).
Ranking of food safety risks in pork from organic and free-range production systems
The objectives of this semi-quantitative risk assessment were to identify, assess and rank food safety risks in outdoor pig production (organic and free-range) compared to indoor pig production (conventional) in Denmark. In addition, high-risk pork products would be identified. Finally, risk-reducing strategies for handling the identified agents would be suggested. Data were obtained from the literature as well as in-house statistics. Data describing tetracycline-resistant E. coli in outdoor pigs were available from the Qualysafe project. The OIE framework for risk assessment was applied.
Resilience in the pork supply chain from the food safety perspective
Challenges in food production are plenty, while resources are scarce. In the interest of the consumer as well as the producer, it is of utmost importance to prevent unwanted events from happening. This may be done through focus on resilience in the pig and pork supply production in relation to food safety. In this paper, resilience—and its counterpart vulnerability—is introduced and discussed specifically for food safety. It is noted that to manage unwanted events, focus must be on effective handling on the event itself. But focus should also be on the patterns of events - including the trends in society which may be leading to increased or decreased risks. To gain a more comprehendsive understanding of these patterns, an analysis of the entire structure of the production system is necessary. Through an analysis of these three levels—event, patterns and structure—and their complex interrelationships, targeted prevention activeties may be identified and put in place to raise the system’s long-term resilience. Hereby, the risk to consumers and producers can be reduced to an acceptable level. Such risk-mitigating activities may consist of surveillance, own check systems, HACCP, risk analysis, and legislation including use of private standards.
Possible impact of the “yellow card” antimicrobial scheme on meat inspection lesions in Danish finisher pigs
In 2010, the “yellow card scheme” adopted by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration imposed restrictions on pig farmers who used more antimicrobials than twice the average. We studied the impact on antimicrobial consumption and vaccine use based on data from the monitoring programme Vetstat covering the time period January 2010 and July 2011. The decrease in antimicrobial consumption was pronounced for all age groups treated for either gastro-intestinal or respiratory disease. Data from meat inspection of finisher pigs from before and after introduction of the scheme were compared (N=1.7 million finisher pigs).
Assessment of the impact of omitting palpation of the lungs and the liver at meat inspection
Meat inspection of finisher pigs is gradually moving from traditional inspection involving palpation and incisions to a more visual inspection. However, what do we miss if we no longer palpate and incise? This is addressed in this paper which focuses specifically on palpation of the lungs and the liver. A risk assessment following international guidelines was undertaken. The assessment shows that omission of these routine palpations on finisher pigs from controlled housing (i.e. herds with high biosecurity) will have no significant impact on food safety. The reasoning for reaching these conclusions is presented in the following.
Risk-based Surveillance of Antimicrobial Residues – Identification of Potential Risk Factors
Today in Denmark, residue surveillance is conducted at random. However, if the surveillance is targeted to high-risk finisher pig herds, then the number of samples can be reduced whereby resources can be saved without jeopardizing public health. An analysis of Danish data covering 2.5 years has shown that finisher pig herds with a very high prevalence of chronic pleuritis have a higher risk of residue findings in the surveillance programme. If this is incorporated into the own control, then cost savings of 25% can be obtained. However, as shown in the Danish data there are other reasons for the presence of residues such as miscommunication and insufficient marking of treated animals. Such cases should be prevented through information campaigns addressed to the farmers and their advisors.
Exposure assessment of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases/AmpC beta-lactamases-producing in meat in Denmark
Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBL) and AmpC Beta-Lactamases (AmpC) are of great concern because of their ability to cause antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacteriaceae hampering the effect of treatment with beta-lactam antibiotics. The main objective of this study was to assess the relative importance of different types of meat for the exposure of consumers to ESBL/AmpC and their potential relevance for human cases in Denmark.
Risk-mitigation for antimicrobial resistance in Danish swine herds at a national level
In Denmark, actions to mitigate the risk related to antimicrobial resistance have been put in place continuously. Due to an increase in the consumption of antimicrobials in the Danish pig production further actions were implemented in July 2010. These were: a voluntary ban on use of cephalosporin in Danish swine herds for a 2-year period and a so-called “Yellow card” scheme from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DVFA). Farmers with the highest use of antibiotics receive a Yellow Card. Approximately 10% of Danish herds are above the yellow card threshold value. The consumption in pigs is evaluated as animal daily doses (ADD) per 100 animals seen over the last 9 months (by age group).