Contamination factors associated with surviving bacteria in Thai commercial raw pet foods

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to identify the surviving bacteria in commercial raw pet food and to analyze the factors associated with their contamination. Materials and Methods: A total of 17 samples from 12 brands available in Thailand were randomly selected for analysis. Fifteen samples were frozen products and two were freeze-dried. The total bacterial counts (TBCs) of Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria spp., and Listeria monocytogenes were measured. Association between the bacterial profile and feed ingredients, as well as with product types, was analyzed by Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests. Results: Campylobacter was not found in any product, whereas Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. showed the highest prevalence with respect to the standard's limits. The TBC was significantly related to the type of the products (frozen or freeze-dried), and S. aureus and L. monocytogenes were significantly related to a chicken-based diet. Conclusion: Pet food contamination can occur during the manufacturing process, storage, or even preparation. The freezing and drying processes may reduce, but not eradicate, the bacterial contamination in raw pet food. These results emphasize the need for quality control in the manufacturing process and show the importance of personal hygiene for the pet owner to reduce health risks.

From Nutritional Adequacy to Hygiene Quality: A Detailed Assessment of Commercial Raw Pet-Food for Dogs and Cats

“…In recently published European studies, total ACC measured in RMBDs showed a wide range of bacterial contamination, from 7.9 × 10 2 to 7.4 × 10 8 CFU/g [ 11 , 13 , 15 ]. The high total ACC recorded in the present study is similar to the findings of a recent study from Thailand, where a median ACC score of 1.81 × 10 8 CFU/g was measured in 17 RMBDs [ 62 ]. High total ACC may cause rapid alteration of meat during cold storage due to microbial growth, protein degradation, and lipid oxidation.…”

An investigation of the presence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae in raw and cooked kibble diets for dogs in the United Kingdom

“…In one Swedish study, bacteria belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, including E. coli, was present at a level which exceeded EU regulations for raw meat intended for pet food production in 52% of RMD samples (Hellgren et al, 2019), and in a study from Switzerland, 73% of samples tested exceeded these limits (Nüesch-Inderbinen et al, 2019). This was also the case for frozen commercially available RMD in Thailand (Kananub et al, 2020) and in Italy, where samples were found to be contaminated with Salmonella spp., E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter spp., despite freezing (Bottari et al, 2020). In another study from Italy, RMD products purchased online and received frozen were found to be highly contaminated with E. coli immediately following defrosting, as well as having Listeria spp., Clostridia spp.…”

“…and Clostridium spp. ( Weese et al, 2005 ; Strohmeyer et al, 2006 ; Mehlenbacher et al, 2012 ; Nemser et al, 2014 ; Bojanić et al, 2017 ; Van Bree et al, 2018 ; Hellgren et al, 2019 ; Bottari et al, 2020 ; Kananub et al, 2020 ; Treier et al, 2021 ). In the United Kingdom there have been limited studies specifically investigating the presence of bacterial pathogens in RMD, however there have been a number of recalls involving RMD reported by the Food Standards Agency due to the presence of Salmonella spp.…”

Detection of antibiotic resistant Enterobacterales in commercial raw pet food: a preliminary study

“…A previous American study recovered ESBL-E from frozen but not from freeze-dried raw diets ( 11 ). This difference may exist because the reduced water content in freeze-dried foods creates suboptimal conditions for bacterial survival ( 11 , 23 ). It is also possible that different thawing methods may impact the quantity of bacteria recovered from frozen RMBDs.…”