Food/Pork Safety AnalysisFood/Pork Safety Analysis

Marcos H. Rostagno, DVM, MPVM, PhDUSDA-ARS

West Lafayette, Indiana

WPX – Pork Academy – Des Moines, IA (06/06/2013)

Contemporary ChallengesContemporary Challengesin Animal Agriculturein Animal Agriculture

• Food Security

• Food Safety

• Animal Welfare

• Environmental Impact

Food SecurityFood Security

Global Food DemandGlobal Food Demand

20002000ss 20502050 60-70%60-70%

19701970ss – 1990 – 1990ss: : 50% 50%

Options:Options:

Productivity Productivity (Technology)(Technology)

Area/landArea/land

Combination of bothCombination of bothUnited Nations, FAO (2009)

$$$ = $$$ = Consumption Consumption

Global Production Increasefrom 2001 to 2011

USDA (2011)

Total Global Production(2011)

Beef 56.8 M tonPoultry 81.0 M tonPork 101.1 M ton

Pork has beenPork has beenthe meat productthe meat product

most consumed and most consumed and produced, since 1979!produced, since 1979!

Agricultural illiteracyAgricultural illiteracy Technology rejectionTechnology rejection

Priorities driving consumer food choices(Center for Food Integrity, 2012)

SafeAffordableNutritious(56.87%)

ProductivityProfitability

(8.12%)

EnvironmentWelfare(35.01%)

Availability + Safety of the food supplyAvailability + Safety of the food supply

Food Safety Issues:

Chemical hazards

Physical hazards

Biological hazards

. Pathogens

. Antimicrobial Resistance

Quality assurance

Complex challengesOn-farm (pre-harvest) focus

Pork Safety - Biological HazardsPork Safety - Biological Hazards((PathogensPathogens))

Bacterial Pathogens:Salmonella entericaCampylobacter coliListeria monocytogenesYersinia enterocolitica

Emerging Pathogens:Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureusClostridium difficileHepatitis E virusCalicivirusesNoroviruses

Parasites:Taenia soliumTrichinella spiralisToxoplasma gondii

Scallan et al. (2011)

According to USDA-ERSAccording to USDA-ERS$2.3 billion (in 1998 U$)$2.3 billion (in 1998 U$)Medical costs and productivity lossesMedical costs and productivity losses

Frenzen et al.(1999)

Incidence of foodborne pathogens in the U.S.

Healthy People 2010Salmonella (6.8)

Campylobacter (12.3)E. coli O157 (1.0)

Source: www.cdc.gov/foodnet/data/reports.html

SalmonellaSalmonella: a food safety priority for the pork industry!: a food safety priority for the pork industry!

Attribution: Pork products Attribution: Pork products 5-30% Human salmonellosis5-30% Human salmonellosisUS (6-9%)US (6-9%)EU (15-25%)EU (15-25%)

Salmonella prevalence + levels in the GIT(Determinants of the pork safety risk)

Berends et al.(1996):

Infected pig Harvest line = 3 - 4x risk of Salmonella-contaminated carcass

SalmonellaSalmonella contamination of pork occurs within contamination of pork occurs within abattoirsabattoirs

(Harvest and processing line)(Harvest and processing line)

Infected pigs Infected pigs (“carriers”)(“carriers”)

Positive Salmonella tests in the PR/HACCP verificationtesting program from 1998 to 2011

(Market hogs - All sizes)

www.fsis.usda.gov

From Pig to PorkFrom Pig to Pork

SalmonellaSalmonella Prevalence and Levels in the GI tract Prevalence and Levels in the GI tract

SalmonellaSalmonella contamination risk

contamination risk

FarmFarm TransportTransport LairageLairage Harvest &Harvest &ProcessingProcessing

Salmonella enterica prevalence:First pull versus close out groups of market pigs

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Bacteriology Serology

Pre

vale

nce (

%)

First Pull

Close Out

43/405 (10.6%, 95%C.I. 6.03–15.2%)vs.

80/405 (19.8%, 95%C.I. 11.3–28.2%)

85/450 (18.9%, 95%C.I. 12.7–25.1%)vs.

226/450 (50.2%, 95%C.I. 12.7–25.1%)

9.2%P<0.05

31.3%P<0.05

Rostagno et al. (2009)

Effect of transport and lairageon Salmonella prevalence

(Field Study)P

reva

len

ce (

%)

a,b,c: P<0.05

Rostagno & Richert (2010)

Ctr: ControlFW: Feed Withdrawal (12 h)T: Transport (2 h)FWT: Feed Withdrawal + Transport

a

b

a

b

a aa

b

a a a a

IleumIleum CecumCecum RectumRectum

Lo

g10

CF

U/g

of

sa

mp

le

a,b: a,b: PP<0.05<0.05

Salmonella levels in market-weight pigssubjected to feed withdrawal and/or transport

Rostagno et al. (2012)

Effect of stress on the susceptibilityof market-age pigs to Salmonella

(Transport and/or mixing)

Rostagno & Lay (in preparation)

a

b b,c

c

aaa

b

a,b,c: a,b,c: PP<0.05<0.05 a,b: a,b: PP<0.05<0.05

C = ControlM = Mixing w/ unfamiliar pig (6 h)T = Transport (1 h)T+M = Transport + Mixing

www.fsis.usda.gov

Pork Safety - Biological HazardsPork Safety - Biological Hazards((Antimicrobial ResistanceAntimicrobial Resistance))

What???

Antimicrobial Resistance: Food Animals Antimicrobial Resistance: Food Animals Humans Humans

Phillips et al.(2004)Phillips et al.(2004)

ResiduesResidues

Resistant PathogensResistant Pathogens

Resistant CommensalsResistant Commensals

EnvironmentalEnvironmentalContaminationContamination

Potential Routes of Antimicrobial Resistance Potential Routes of Antimicrobial Resistance Transmission From Pigs to HumansTransmission From Pigs to Humans

USDA – NARMS (2010)

CDC – NARMS (2010)

CDC – NARMS (2010)

““Alternative” Pork Production SystemsAlternative” Pork Production Systems

Assumption: Happy Pigs = Safe PorkAssumption: Happy Pigs = Safe Pork

“Alternative” Production SystemsKey changes: Housing facilities/conditions Management practices

Effects onEffects onecology and epidemiologyecology and epidemiology

of pathogensof pathogens

??????

““All Natural”All Natural”““Free-Range”Free-Range”

““Organic”Organic”

Outdoor accessOutdoor access

Foodborne (bacterial) PathogensFoodborne (bacterial) Pathogens

Limited data available

No clear pattern (Conventional x Alternative)

However…However…

Pathogen Location Sample source Indoor Outdoor

Salmonella* Farm Feces 99.6% 0.4%

  Slaughter Carcass pre-evisceration 10.4% 89.6%

  Slaughter Carcass post-evisceration 14.1% 85.9%

  Slaughter Carcass post-chill 37.5% 62.5%

         

Campylobacter** Farm Feces 55.7% 44.3%

  Slaughter Carcass pre-evisceration 9.4% 90.6%

  Slaughter Carcass post-evisceration 44.2% 55.8%

  Slaughter Carcass post-chill 0% 100%

Proportion of Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates recoveredfrom pigs originating from indoor and outdoor production systems

Adapted from Gebreyes et al. (2005)** and Thakur et al. (2007)*.

Antimicrobial ResistanceAntimicrobial Resistance

Quintana-Hayashi & Thakur (2012)

Tadesse et al. (2011)

Biological Hazards: PathogensBiological Hazards: Pathogens

Taenia solium

Toxoplasma gondii

Trichinella spiralis

ParasitesParasites

Helminth Outdoor* Indoor (Extensive)** Indoor (Intensive)***

Ascaris + + +

Oesophagostomum + + (+)

Trichuris + + (+)

Strongyloides + +  

Hyostrongylus + (+)  

Metastrongylus +    

Stephanurus (+) (+)  

Ascarops (+)    

Physocephalus (+)    

Macracanthorhynchus (+)    

Trichinella (+) (+)  

Taenia (+)    

Schistosoma (+)    

Fasciola (+)    

Dicrocoelium (+)    

Occurrence of helminths in different types of pork production systems

Adapted from Nansen and Roepstorff (1999)

Reference Production Stage Prevalence

Davies et al.(1998) Free-range 19%

Total confinement 0.01%

Wang et al. (2002) Sows (Not confined) 20.2%

Sows (Confined) 11.6%

Market hogs (Not confined) 4.4%

Market hogs (Confined) 2.3%

Gebreyes et al. (2008) Outdoor 6.8%

Indoor 1.1%

Toxoplasma gondiiToxoplasma gondii in the U.S. in the U.S.

Pork-associated outbreaks???

Oh, yeah!Oh, yeah!I’m safe!!!I’m safe!!!

Complexity = Risk of Unintended ConsequencesComplexity = Risk of Unintended Consequences

Does the pork industry have a problem???Does the pork industry have a problem???Yes!Yes!

But, it’s not about safety!!!But, it’s not about safety!!!

Where does the consumer getWhere does the consumer getinformation from???information from???

The (mis)information era!!!The (mis)information era!!!

““Super Bugs”Super Bugs”““Super Bacteria”Super Bacteria”

““Antibiotic Apocalypse”Antibiotic Apocalypse”““Factory Farm”Factory Farm”

SCIENCESCIENCE(Facts & Data)(Facts & Data)

CONSUMERCONSUMER(Perception)(Perception)

The world is changing…

Consumer education is urgently needed!!!Consumer education is urgently needed!!!

“Given the central role that food plays in human welfare and national stability, it is shocking – not to mention short-sighted and potentially dangerous – how little money is spent on agricultural research.”

Bill Gates

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

USDA-ARS ScientistsPurdue University Faculty

Gary NowlingRita Lockeridge

Lots of Students!!!

Thank you!!!Thank you!!!