This report discusses factors that affect possibility that classical swine fever, foot and mouth disease or highly pathogenic avian influenza may spread to domestic animals via former raw meat products or end products of them from biogas and composting plants. Former raw meat by-products from retail trade are foodstuffs of animal origin, which are removed from market due to expire of date, packaging defects or for some other reason.
The project discussed factors that affect the occurrence of viruses in production animals, risk that virus end up to the abattoir and risk that meat from infected animals end up to the retail trade. The project also described if viruses can survive treatment processes of biogas and composting plants and if they can end up to the end products of these plants. These products can be used as soil improver or fertilisers. In Finland, treated and untreated former meat by-products are also disposed on landfills. The project described how production animals can be exposed to the viruses by the means of former meat by-products and their derivates.
If risk management in the food chain fails or the treatment process for former meat by-products is insuffi cient, possible infection routes of swine fever, foot and mouth disease or highly pathogen avian infl uenza from former meat by-products to domestic animals may appear. Possible infection routes may include for example wild animals or contaminated water or fertiliser.
Research group
Heidi Rosengren (Evira
Leena Sahlström (Evira)
Kimmo Suominen (Evira)
Timetable
2008 - 2009
Funding
Evira
Further information
Kimmo Suominen
Project publications
Suominen, K., Rosengren, H. and Sahlström, L. 2009. Hazards of Animal Diseases from Raw Former Foodstuffs of Animal Origin from the Retail Trade. Evira Research Reports 1/2009.