Raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) are widely used as unconventional diets for dogs and cats at different life stages, despite concerns regarding nutritional adequacy and microbial contamination. The aim of this study was to evaluate both the nutritional and hygiene quality profile of RMBDs purchased in Germany. For this purpose, crude nutrients were assessed in 44 RMBDs and compared to declared values. In addition, selected minerals were determined in 31 RMBDs labelled as complete and compared to the minimum requirement (MR) for intended species and life stages. Aerobic colony count (ACC) and Enterobacteriaceae were used to assess the hygiene quality of 37 commercial RMBDs, while the presence of Salmonella spp. was examined in 10 products. Fat and protein content exceeded tolerated deviation from declared values in 33% and 45% of RMBDs, respectively. Each RMBD showed at least one concern regarding nutrient content. The RMBDs had high fat contents (mean 69, range 33–95 g/Mcal) that were negatively correlated with protein (r = −0.74, p < 0.0001). Considerable contaminations by ACC and Enterobacteriaceae were found (2.61 × 10⁸ ± 3.63 × 10⁸ and 3.61 × 10⁶ ± 8.39 x10⁶ CFU/g, respectively). A higher count of Enterobacteriaceae was detected in a frozen RMBDs made of poultry or carcasses from different animals, compared to the thawed counterpart (p = 0.003), as well as compared to other sources, such as beef, horse, and lamb, regardless of the storage condition. Salmonella spp. were found in 2/10 RMBDs. This study confirmed that feeding commercial RMBDs might pose a risk to pet health.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) and PA N-oxides (PANO) are secondary plant metabolites exhibiting genotoxic and carcinogenic properties. Apart from the roots and leaves, PA/PANO are particularly present in pollen and nectar. Therefore, the spread of Jacobaea vulgaris in certain regions of northern Germany has an impact on the safety of honey produced in that region. In this study, raw honey samples (n = 437) were collected from usually three individual beehives per site (n = 73) in the district of Ostholstein and analyzed for 25 PA/PANO. The results reveal mean levels of 8.4, 1.5, and 72.6 µg/kg and maximum levels of 111, 59.4, and 3313 µg/kg, depending on the season (summer 2015 and spring/summer 2016, respectively). As far as individual data are concerned, sites near areas with J. vulgaris growth did not necessarily result in high PA/PANO values. Furthermore, intra-site investigations revealed remarkable differences in PA/PANO levels of raw honey collected by different bee colonies at the same site. Consumption of these regionally produced honeys entails an increased exposure to PA/PANO, especially in children and high consumers. Margin of exposure values of <10,000 and an exceedance of the health-based guidance value highlight that regionally produced and marketed honey must be considered with care for a proper risk assessment and risk management.

Assuring the safety of muscle foods and seafood is based on prerequisites and specific measures targeted against defined hazards. This concept is augmented by ‘interventions’, which are chemical or physical treatments, not genuinely part of the production process, but rather implemented in the framework of a safety assurance system. The present paper focuses on ‘Cold Atmospheric pressure Plasma’ (CAP) as an emerging non-thermal intervention for microbial decontamination. Over the past decade, a vast number of studies have explored the antimicrobial potential of different CAP systems against a plethora of different foodborne microorganisms. This contribution aims at providing a comprehensive reference and appraisal of the latest literature in the area, with a specific focus on the use of CAP for the treatment of fresh meat, fish and associated products to inactivate microbial pathogens and extend shelf life. Aspects such as changes to organoleptic and nutritional value alongside other matrix effects are considered, so as to provide the reader with a clear insight into the advantages and disadvantages of CAP-based decontamination strategies.

The number of natural infections with Mycobacterium caprae in wildlife and in cattle in the Bavarian and Austrian alpine regions has increased over the last decade. Red deer (Cervus elaphus) have been recognized as maintenance reservoir; however, the transmission routes of M. caprae among and from naturally infected red deer are unknown. The unexpected high prevalence in some hot spot regions might suggest an effective indirect transmission of infection. Therefore, this study was undertaken to diagnose the occurrence of M. caprae in faeces and secretions of red deer in their natural habitat. A total of 2,806 red deer hunted in this region during 2014–2016 were included in this study. After pathological examination, organs (lymph nodes, lung, heart), excretions and secretions (faeces, urine, saliva and tonsil swabs) were further investigated by qPCR specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), M. bovis and M. caprae. Samples tested positive by qPCR were processed for culturing of mycobacteria. In total, 55 (2.0%) animals were confirmed positive for M. caprae by pathological examination, PCR and culturing of the affected organ material. With the exception of one sample, all of the secretion and excretion samples were negative for mycobacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC). From one red deer, M. caprae could be isolated from the heart sac as well as from the faeces. Whole-genome sequencing confirmed that both strains were clonally related. This is the first confirmation that M. caprae can be shed with the faeces of a naturally infected red deer. However, further studies focusing on a higher number of infected animals, sample standardization and coordinated multiple sampling are necessary to improve the understanding of transmission routes under natural conditions.

Ready-to-eat meat products have been identified as a potential vehicle for Listeria monocytogenes. Postprocessing contamination (i.e., handling during portioning and packaging) can occur, and subsequent cold storage together with a demand for products with long shelf life can create a hazardous scenario. Good hygienic practice is augmented by intervention measures in controlling post-processing contamination. Among these interventions, the application of ‘cold atmospheric plasma’ (CAP) has gained interest. The reactive plasma species exert some antibacterial effect, but can also alter the food matrix. We studied the effect of CAP generated from air in a surface barrier discharge system (power densities 0.48 and 0.67 W/cm²) with an electrode-sample distance of 15 mm on sliced, cured, cooked ham and sausage (two brands each), veal pie, and calf liver pâté. Colour of samples was tested immediately before and after CAP exposure. CAP exposure for 5 min effectuated only minor colour changes (ΔE max. 2.7), due to a decrease in redness (a*), and in some cases, an increase in b*. A second set of samples was contaminated with Listeria (L.) monocytogenes, L. innocua and E. coli and then exposed to CAP for 5 min. In cooked cured meats, CAP was more effective in inactivating E. coli (1 to 3 log cycles) than Listeria (from 0.2 to max. 1.5 log cycles). In (non-cured) veal pie and calf liver pâté that had been stored 24 h after CAP exposure, numbers of E. coli were not significantly reduced. Levels of Listeria were significantly reduced in veal pie that had been stored for 24 h (at a level of ca. 0.5 log cycles), but not in calf liver pâté. Antibacterial activity differed between but also within sample types, which requires further studies.

Escherichia coli isolates ( n =438) from six different broiler chicken flocks (all in, all out) with known consumption of antimicrobials were investigated for their antimicrobial resistance and the prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) phenotypes. E. coli were isolated from chicken at the third and fifth week of age and tested for antimicrobial resistance during the course of fattening. Resistance to sulfamethoxazole+trimethoprim, which was used in four flocks within the first days of life, decreased significantly in all six flocks between the third and fifth week of broiler chicken's life (mean 65.9% vs. 54.3%). By contrast, resistance to spectinomycin increased significantly in all six flocks within the same period (mean 36.1% vs. 57.0%); doxycycline resistance increased significantly in five of six flocks (mean 19.2% vs. 41.7%), although both substances were not used for treatment. Of the sulfonamide resistance genes sul 1, sul 2, and sul 3, sul 2 was most frequently found (up to 60%). The prevalence of sul 2 increased significantly between weeks 3 and 5, if the chicken were treated with sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim in the first days of life. If sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim was not used, then the prevalence of sul 2 decreased significantly in the same period. The prevalence of sul 1+ qac EΔ1 (classical class 1 integrons) was significantly higher in E. coli from sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim–treated flocks (9.63%), compared to untreated flocks (2.92%). The detection of phenotypes that potentially indicate plasmid-borne AmpC-β-lactamases was inversely associated with sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim treatment. ESBL phenotypes were found without selective enrichment in four of six flocks. Of all isolated E. coli , 1.8% ( n =8) had an ESBL phenotype. ESBL strains differed in their accompanying resistances and/or enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequences. In conclusion, clonal dissemination seems not to be a major cause of ESBL detection on a chicken farm with all-in all-out production mode.