Hike in amount of feed samples tainted with Salmonella: EU report

The overall level of Salmonella-positive units in feed material in 2015 was 5.13% out of 4,546 units reported by 21 member states compared to 2014 (3.8%) and 2013 (1.4%), noted a newly released review​​ by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

Those organizations publish an annual report of zoonoses monitoring activities in 32 European countries - 28 member states (MS) and four non-MS.

The most commonly tested feed material in the EU last year was soybean derived feed material with 3,404 samples tested and an average Salmonella​ prevalence of 3.7%.

In compound feed, the organizations reported that the prevalence of Salmonella-positive units in 2015 was low to very low for all animal species: 1.20% of 2,248 tested samples for cattle, 0.51% of 2,754 tested samples for pigs and 0.67% of 7,961 tested samples for poultry.

However, they noted: “It should be highlighted that the reported prevalence of ​Salmonella​-positive samples might not always be representative of compound feedingstuffs on the national markets, as some reports might reflect intensive sampling of high-risk products, and representative sampling of feedingstuffs is difficult.”​

High prevalence was reported for meat meal: 290 tested, 16.7% positives. But the ECDC and EFSA said: “In meat and bone meal, Salmonella​ contamination is to be considered only an indicator, and it does not pose any risk to livestock given that meat and bone meal is still prohibited for feeding food-producing animals, although it is used in pet foods.”​

They said data reported on feedstuffs, as well as the number of batches or samples tested, was highly variable among member states, ranging from 1,184 as reported by Poland, to 9 and 7 reported by Latvia and Slovenia, respectively. 

And the organizations said there is no common sampling scheme for feed materials in the EU.

Owing to this lack of a harmonized surveillance approach, the ECDC and EFSA said information is not comparable among countries.

Campylobacter occurrence high in broiler meat​

Meanwhile they found Campylobacteriosis​ was the most commonly reported zoonosis and the increasing EU trend for confirmed human cases since 2008 continued. In food, the occurrence of Campylobacter​ remained high in broiler meat, they noted.

The decreasing EU trend for confirmed human salmonellosis cases since 2008 continued, but the proportion of human Salmonella Enteritidis​ cases increased. Most EU countries met their Salmonella​ reduction targets for poultry.

In foodstuffs, the EU-level Salmonella​ non-compliance for minced meat and meat preparations from poultry was low.

The decreasing EU trend for confirmed yersiniosis​ cases since 2008 continued. Positive findings for Yersinia​ were mainly reported in pig meat and products thereof.

The number of confirmed shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)​ infections in humans was similar to 2014. In food, STEC was most frequently reported in meat from ruminants. A total of 4,362 food-borne outbreaks, including water-borne outbreaks, were reported.

Bacteria were the most commonly detected causative agents, followed by bacterial toxins, viruses, other causative agents and parasites. The causative agent remained unknown in 33.5% of all outbreaks.

As in previous years, Salmonella​ in eggs continued to represent the highest risk agent/food combination, said the organizations.