Findings of Salmonella in raw meat-based pet food in the United Kingdom have declined for the first time in recent years. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) collected data on Salmonella reports from livestock species in Great Britain during 2023. There were 331 reports of Salmonella from raw meat pet food.
This is lower than the 406 in 2022. The number of positives in 2022 increased from 2021, when the highest-ever levels were seen. The most common types in 2023 were Salmonella Indiana, Salmonella Derby, and Salmonella Infantis.
There were 99 isolations of regulated serovars from raw meat pet food, down from 123 reports in 2022. The isolates included Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Hadar, Salmonella Infantis, monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Salmonella Virchow. The legislation considers regulated serovars to be of particular public health importance.
Contaminated raw meat pet food, which does not undergo heat treatment to deactivate pathogens, may represent a potential source of infection to both the animals consuming it and people who handle it, especially if insufficient hygiene measures are adopted. There were 897 isolations from feedingstuffs during 2023, an increase from 801 positives in 2022. There were 265 isolations of regulated Salmonella serovars from animal feedingstuffs and related products during 2023, 41.
7 percent higher than in 2022. These included Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Typhimurium, and monophasic Salmonella Typ.
