Technical specifications on harmonised epidemiological indicators for biological hazards to be covered by meat inspection of farmed game

Abstract

In this report, harmonised epidemiological indicators are proposed for foodborne biological hazards to public health that are related to farmed game and meat thereof and that can be addressed within meat inspection. These hazards include Salmonella, Toxoplasma, Trichinella and Mycobacterium in farmed wild boar and deer. An epidemiological indicator is defined as the prevalence or concentration of the hazard at a certain stage of the food chain or an indirect measure of the hazard that correlates to the human health risk caused by the hazard. The indicators can be used by the European Commission and Member States to consider when adaptations in meat inspection methods may be relevant and to carry out risk analysis to support such decisions. It is foreseen that the indicators will be used in the revised meat inspection system for farmed game meat outlined in the European Food Safety Authority scientific opinion, particularly to help categorise slaughter batches, animals and slaughterhouses according to the risk related to the hazards and process hygiene or to enable surveillance for the possible emergence of the hazard. Depending on the purpose and the epidemiological situation, risk managers should decide on the most appropriate indicator(s) to use, either alone or in combination, at national, regional, slaughterhouse or farm/herd level. Member States are invited to report data generated by the implementation of the indicators in accordance with Directive 2003/99/EC. The proposed indicators should be regularly reviewed in light of new information and the data generated by their implementation.

Improving Hunted Wild Boar Carcass Hygiene: Roles of Different Factors Involved in the Harvest Phase

“…To lower the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in "farmed" game meat, an integrated approach is suggested, with the application of indicators of specific harmonized epidemiological indices [43]. Further studies are therefore needed to define whether, in a "forest to fork" approach, similar indices could be implemented for certified wild boar meat to reduce the levels of Salmonella spp.…”

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Salmonella in Hunted Wild Boars from Two Different Regions in Switzerland

“…Wild boars can serve as reservoirs for a range of pathogens, some of which are transmissible to domestic animals and humans, representing a potential veterinary and Animals 2021, 11, 2227 2 of 8 public health threat [3]. Toxoplasma gondii and Salmonella rank among the most important pathogens at the wildlife-livestock interface [4] and are listed as foodborne biological hazards related to game and game meat [5].…”

“…are gram-negative enteric bacteria and belong to the most important etiological agents of foodborne diarrheal diseases worldwide [11,12]. Wild boars may be carriers of various Salmonella enterica serovars, including S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium, which are most frequently implicated in human illness in Europe [5,13], and S. cholerasuis, which is a swine-adapted serovar infrequently reported among domestic pigs in Europe, but considered a major problem for the pig industry in North America and Asia [14]. Various studies estimate the seroprevalence of Salmonella among wild boar in Europe to be between 4% and 19% [2,15].…”

Transmission dynamics of foodborne parasites in pork (pig and wild boar)

“…Numerous studies worldwide have shown a general downward tendency in the prevalence of T. gondii presumably related to improved biosecurity related to indoor housing systems. In organic and free-range pigs, seroprevalences between 1% and 25% have been reported (Kijlstra et al, 2004;van der Giessen et al, 2007;Dubey et al, 2008), while seroprevalences between 7% and 49% were described in European studies of wild boars (EFSA, 2013b;Dubey et al, 2014). In fattening pigs, on the other hand, a seroprevalence of around 2% has been found repeatedly in intensive farming systems around the world (Patton et al, 2002;de Buhr et al, 2008;Dubey et al, 2014).…”

“…It is not feasible to monitor all pigs used for human consumption for infection with T. gondii, and monitoring should focus on free-range pigs, pigs from organic farms, and farmed wild boar, since they are more likely to be exposed to the infection compared to pigs conventionally reared indoors (EFSA, 2007(EFSA, , 2013b. It is not feasible to monitor all pigs used for human consumption for infection with T. gondii, and monitoring should focus on free-range pigs, pigs from organic farms, and farmed wild boar, since they are more likely to be exposed to the infection compared to pigs conventionally reared indoors (EFSA, 2007(EFSA, , 2013b.…”