Abstracto

Poultry products and Food Safety: Never-Ending Story

Hafez Mohamed Hafez

In spite of significant improvement in technology and hygienic practices at all stages of poultry production foodborne diseases remains a persistent threat to human and animal health. The loss of consumer confidence and trust in the quality and safety of poultry meat and poultry products remain a major challenge for all people involved in poultry business. Furthermore, the use and misuse of antibiotics cause staidly increase of antibiotic resistant bacteria, which is a continuous public health hazard. Currently discussions in several developing related animal production and their influences on environmental protection as well as animal welfare are ongoing. Generally, the main strategy to control food borne infections in poultry should include: monitoring, cleaning the production pyramid from the top especially of vertically transmitted microorganism such as Salmonella by culling infected breeder flocks, hatching egg sanitation and limiting introduction and spread of infections at the farm level through effective hygienic measures in poultry farms, their environment and their feed. Reducing bacterial colonization by using feed additives, competitive exclusion or use of vaccines are further possibilities. Additionally, intensive and sustained rodent control is essential and needs to be well planned and routinely performed. Also, an effective education programs must be implemented for the farm workers to increase public awareness of the necessary measures to be taken for protection against foodborne contamination of food products.