FEED & LIVESTOCK

Foodborne zoonotic pathogens, i.e., pathogens transmitted via the food chain, may not only affect public health, they may also have a significant economic impact on livestock and the agricultural production, as well as on the food industry itself.

Risk deterrent EU policies are, therefore, established which require monitoring and the control of certain zoonotic pathogens in the primary production sectors at both national and EU – Community levels.  

Foodborne zoonotic surveillance relies heavily on results obtained through “official microbiological testing”, i.e., tests performed by the competent authorities, as well as those reported as companies’ “own tests”. Where this is a mandatory requirement, it should usually be carried out using specific sampling and testing protocols.

SCIELAB actively works with businesses in the primary sectors, undertaking the responsibility to run their own tests and to report test results, as appropriate, to the competent authorities when this is officially required.

Mandatory microbiological sampling and testing in different fields of the primary production sector:

A. National Control Programmes (NCPs) for Salmonella
  1.  The Greek NPCs officially commenced in 2012 and aim to reduce and / or control the prevalence of Salmonella spp., and of Salmonella specific serotypes in poultry flocks. 

These are the NCPs for Salmonella, currently in force (Ministerial Decisions, Ministry of Rural Affairs and Food – MRAF):

B. Bacteriological sampling and testing for fresh meat and poultry processors.
  • Methods, criteria and frequencies for microbiological sampling and testing are described in Reg. (EC) 2073/2005. Stages per product category where process microbiological criteria apply are given below:
    • Carcasses of cattle, sheep, goats and horses
      • Aerobic Colony Count (ACC), Enterobacteriaceae and Salmonella spp, after carcass dressing but before chilling.
    • Poultry carcasses
      • Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in pooled samples of neck skins, after carcass chilling
    • Minced meat, mechanically-deboned meat and meat preparations
      • ACC and Escherichia coli at the end of the manufacturing process.
C. Bacteriological sampling and testing for businesses, processing fresh fruits and vegetables (FFVs). The following criteria, also described in Reg. (EC) 2073/2005, are set for unpasteurised juices (*), pre-cut RTE fruits and vegetables (*) and for sprouted seeds (**)
    • Escherichia coli (*): n=5, c=2, m=100, m=1.000 in g
    • Salmonella spp. (**): n=5, c=0, m, M = Not detected in 25 g or in 200ml of spent irrigation water.

    Additional microbiological testing may be required for the validation and the verification of Good Hygiene Practices (GHPs) as well as of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), in line to Reg. (EC) 852 / 2004 and the Commission notice (EC) 2017/C 163/01. Examples include testing of:   

    • Water, depending on its origin and intended use,  
    • Manure and natural organic fertilisers used for the production of FFVs
    • Harvest and post-harvest equipment and containers used for handling and transporting FFVs,
    • Surfaces of equipment and packaging in contact with FFVs, 
    • Products and procedures used for decontamination and disinfection purposes, etc. 

You can always rely on the fast, accurate and, most importantly, on the scientifically sound guidance of SCIELAB to protect your livestock and agricultural production against zoonotic agents and to safeguard the income and reputation of your business.