Pasture-borne parasites adversely affect bovine health and productivity worldwide. In Europe, gastrointestinal nematodes, especially Ostertagia ostertagi, the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica and the lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus represent the most important parasites of dairy cattle. The present study assessed exposure towards these parasites among 646 cattle herds in three parts of Germany during 2017–2019 via antibody detection in bulk tank milk (BTM). Overall, O. ostertagi levels indicative of production losses were detected in 41.2% (266/646; 95% confidence interval (CI): 37.4–45.1%) of BTM samples, while F. hepatica seroprevalence amounted to 14.9% (96/646; 95% CI: 12.2–17.9%). Only 2.3% (15/646; 95% CI: 1.4–3.9%) of samples were D. viviparus antibody-positive. Significantly lower O. ostertagi as well as F. hepatica seroprevalence was detected in dual-purpose breeds compared to high-performance breeds from the same region. Management factors related to parasite exposure included access to fresh grass and hay, silage quality and anthelmintic treatment. Furthermore, F. hepatica and O. ostertagi seropositivity was significantly associated with suboptimal herd-level body condition. Interestingly, the relationship between seropositivity and productivity differed between breed types. Negative impacts on milk yield were detected only in high-performance breeds, while O. ostertagi seropositivity was associated with a lower milk fat content in dual-purpose herds.

The water distribution system in the lairage pens of abattoirs could act as a route of contamination for produced meat. In this study, biofilm formation and the occurrence of specific pathogens in drinking equipment was investigated in different lairage pens in a German commercial pig abattoir. Samples of the water and the drinkers in different locations were microbiologically cultivated and examined. After new drinking equipment had been installed for one month, three months and five years, biofilm formation was detectable, and retrograde growth from the nipple drinkers was seen up to the connection with the main water distribution system. In particular, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas spp. were found in all samplings of the nipple drinkers. Zoonotic pathogens, Salmonella, pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, were also isolated from the nipple drinkers, while Listeria monocytogenes was not detected via microbial cultivation methods in any of the samples. Since the pigs take the contaminated nipple drinkers into their mouths to drink, or drink contaminated water containing the pathogens, transmission and even infection of the pigs in the lairage can be assumed. This could consequently lead to contamination or cross-contamination of the meat during slaughter and processing and to a public health risk.

Poultry meat and its production are worldwide one major pillar of food production. As food from animals is always associated with microbiological contamination, there is a possible risk for consumers to be exposed to pathogenic microorganisms. It is therefore crucial to control microbiological contamination at all processing stages with appropriate measures. To assess the effectiveness of reduction measures integrated into the slaughtering process, a baseline of contamination needs to be defined. This review therefore aimed to address sampling techniques and units used to describe levels of contamination on broiler carcasses in routine slaughter by means of a narrative survey. Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella spp. and the total viable count were the contaminants of interest. In order to compare the selected studies and trials, the sampled matrix, sampling method, process step and unit had to be taken into account. However, the investigation shows a wide variety of sampling techniques within those factors, which hinders the comparability of results across different studies. Additionally, reporting of standard statistical metrics was not sufficient. This highlights the need to harmonise sampling techniques and reporting of methods from a scientific and practical perspective. Therefore, this review evaluated the sampling methods at each process step and for each sampled matrix separately and identified the missing statistical metrics. This is a prerequisite to select matrices and methods of main interest and draft a guide to ensure better data quality and comparison between studies in the future.

We investigated whether samples of the neck skin from 24 broiler chickens, which were taken from broiler carcasses after chilling, are representative for the microbiological load (TVC - total viable count 3.99 log₁₀ cfu/g, E. coli 2.06 log₁₀ cfu/g, Campylobacter spp. 2.04 log₁₀ cfu/g) of the entire skin. No significant difference was found between the contamination of the neck skin and the other skin areas analysed (back, breast, abdominal and leg skin) for any of the target germs. We also compared results from two sampling methods (neck skin excision and whole carcass rinse) to check whether both methods yield comparable results. Significantly higher mean values were found for the TVC in the whole carcass rinse samples (4.61 log₁₀ cfu/ml vs. 4.28 log₁₀ cfu/g), while we found no significant difference between both sampling methods for E. coli. For Campylobacter spp. the neck skin samples showed significantly higher mean values than the whole carcass rinse samples (2.04 log₁₀ cfu/g vs. 1.31 log₁₀ cfu/ml).

As production of food from animal origin is always associated with microbiological contamination, there is a possible risk for consumers to be exposed to pathogenic microorganisms. It is therefore crucial to control microbiological contamination at all process steps with appropriate measures to detect contamination as soon as possible. To evaluate the effectiveness of reduction measures integrated into the slaughtering process, a baseline of contamination needs to be defined. Therefore, this review aimed to address sampling techniques and units used to describe levels of contamination on pig carcasses in routine slaughter by means of a narrative survey. Although Salmonella, Yersinia and Campylobacter are amongst the most relevant foodborne pathogens in pork production, we focussed on indicators of process hygiene such as Total Viable Count, Enterobacteriaceae , Coliforms and Escherichia coli . To compare the selected studies and trials, stratification by sampled matrix, sampling method, process step and unit was necessary. This investigation showed a wide variety of sampling techniques within those factors, which hinders the comparability of results across different studies. Furthermore, the reporting of standard statistical metrics was often inadequate, emphasising the need to harmonise sampling techniques and methodological reporting for both scientific and practical perspectives. Therefore, this review assessed the sampling methods used at each process step and for each sampled matrix individually and identified the missing statistical metrics. Establishing this foundation is essential for selecting the most relevant matrices and methods and for developing a guide to improve data quality and comparability across future studies.

Microbial bioaerosols consist of airborne particles that carry microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In poultry slaughterhouses, multiple stages of processing, including scalding, defeathering, and carcass washing, create manifold opportunities for bioaerosol formation and microbial dissemination. Ensuring poultry meat hygiene and preventing the spread of foodborne pathogens remain ongoing global challenges. In this study, we assessed air quality within the slaughterhouse by collecting air samples at various points, including the evisceration and processing areas. These samples were analyzed for total aerobic colony counts and the presence of specific bacterial taxa. Additionally, we evaluated the efficacy of a pre-installed air decontamination system that utilized ozonation, ultraviolet C irradiation, and ionization to reduce microbial loads in the air. Our results revealed that the bacterial concentration in both slaughterhouse areas was relatively low, with a mean concentration of 2.78 log₁₀ CFU/m³ in the evisceration area and 2.28 log₁₀ CFU/m³ in the processing area. However, the air decontamination system in the processing area did not produce a statistically significant reduction in airborne bacterial levels. Notably, there was a statistically significant increase in bacterial concentration in the processing section as the day progressed. Our study offers new insights into air quality in poultry slaughterhouses and the limitations of air decontamination systems. These findings indicate that further investigation is required to understand the reasons for the system's ineffectiveness and to explore enhanced strategies for improving its performance.