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.
Highlights
Raw pet food is commonly used to feed pet animals and can be variably named as bone and raw feed, biologically appropriate diets, or raw meatbased diets [1,2,3]
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 total bacterial counts (TBCs) was significantly related to the type of the products, and S. aureus and L. monocytogenes were significantly related to a chicken-based diet
Summary
Raw pet food is commonly used to feed pet animals and can be variably named as bone and raw feed, biologically appropriate diets, or raw meatbased diets [1,2,3]. Pet owners can prepare raw meat food themselves or can purchase ready-to-feed commercial products. The advantages of raw food include better palatability, digestibility, health benefits, and its natural origin; there is no substantial evidence to prove these claims [2,4,5]. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated
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