The EU ‘One Heath’ Action Plan Against AMR
What is Antimicrobial Resistance? Antimicrobial resistance or AMR, is the ability of microorganisms to become resistant to an antimicrobial treatment that they were previously susceptible to. AMR is caused by several factors, one being as a consequence of natural selection and genetic mutation and the other as a result of the misuse of antimicrobials in humans and veterinary medicine, poor hygiene conditions and processes in healthcare and the food supply chain that aid the transmission of resistant microorganisms. Over time, these factors mean antimicrobials become less effective. When penicillin was discovered in 1928 it was a truly revolutionary development in medicine,
EPHA Highlight More Sustainable Farming Methods to Help Reduce AMR
This week the EPHA (European Public Health Alliance) published an article on their stance in relation to the revision of the European Animal Welfare legislation as a way of improving animal welfare, reducing antimicrobial resistance and moving towards more sustainable animal farming. In recent years, the EU have taken great strides to tackling the use of antibiotics in animal farming and has established that from January 2022, the routine use of antimicrobials in animal production will be banned. In 2017, the EU set out aims to establish themselves as a world leader in animal welfare standards using the ‘One Health’ approach
FDA Warning after Aflatoxins Found in Dog Food
The FDA issued a corporate-wide warning letter yesterday after inspections of Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc.’s production plants found violations across multiple sites which have been associated with the deaths of hundreds of dogs who had eaten the dog food(1). Samples tested were found to be contaminated with high levels of aflatoxins. The FDA has reiterated the importance for pet food manufacturers and distributors to understand their responsibility to comply with federal requirements and FDA regulations to implement hazard analysis and risk-based preventative programmes to protect animal health. The plant inspections were initially prompted in the Chickasha, Oklahoma plant, following reports of illness
Nitrofuran Detection with Biorex Food Diagnostics
Antibiotic residues in food pose a serious threat to public and animal health. Nitrofurans are a class of broad spectrum antibiotics that are commonly used in food producing animals, mainly due to their antibacterial benefits in treating infections. Over the years, research has found that Nitrofurans have a number of serious harmful effects on human health. These include carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic effects when used in large doses or for a long period of time (Wang, 2017). How do Regulations Vary Country to Country? Due to the severity of the effects of AOZ on animal and human health, many countries have
FDA New Policy Increases Veterinary Oversight Requirements
In July 2021, it was announced that the U.S Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine had finalised guidance for the agricultural industry that will mean all medically important antibiotics used in relation to food-producing animals will be brought under veterinary oversight. The article, published by Pew Charitable Trusts outlines that the new policy will be fully implemented by 2023. The key change the policy will bring in is the requirement for a veterinary prescription for all drugs administered, regardless of the method of administration. Previously, this was only required for injectable products and antibiotics used in feed and
Mycotoxin Contamination Found in Cat Food
A number of companies have had to recall certain pet foods in recent weeks due to an outbreak of pancytopenia that has affected more than 500 cats across the country and it has been reported that over 300 have now died as a result of the contamination (Vet Times). The surge in cases was originally linked to a pet food factory in Lincolnshire, resulting in the recall of three major brands of cat food. During the investigation into the outbreak by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), mycotoxins have been found in a small number of samples, these results have now been
Aflatoxins Found in Pistachios from US
Last week the European Commission RASFF portal has reported that Aflatoxins were found in pistachios from the US headed for Germany. The risk decision on the notification was marked as a ‘serious’ contamination level for the pistachios and the shipment was rejected at the border. Mycotoxins are a naturally occurring chemicals produced by certain moulds and can develop on a wide range of feed and grain based products. They often develop under warm conditions and the development of climate change in recent years has saw an increased level of mycotoxins developing, particularly in wet, warm and humid climates. Aflatoxins are a type
Biorex Food Diagnostics 2021 Rebrand
This week, we are proud to release our new branding and website for Biorex Food Diagnostics. At the beginning of 2021 we made plans to refresh our brand identity with a new logo, colour palette and website. Our aim was to create a brand that conveyed our commitment to food safety and creating innovative products through extensive research and development. For the website, we wanted to create a user friendly experience that allowed visitors to browse and enquire about products easily with a visually appealing design through the use of natural, organic imagery. Browse Products by Industry The new website allows users to
Antimicrobial Resistance Called the ‘New Climate Change’
The World Health Organisation lists antimicrobial resistance among the top 10 biggest global threats, yet the issue doesn’t receive a lot of attention on the global stage.
Antibiotic Use on the Rise in Aquaculture
Aquaculture is the farming of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic plants, algae and other organisms. It involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, this differs to commercial fishing where wild fish are harvested.