Neogen: Tests for Salmonella in feed meet FDA draft guidance

The FDA’s proposed guidance for Salmonella in animal feed seeks to lessen the number of human illnesses linked to contact with animal feed and pet food products, to reduce the risk to the animals themselves, and to prevent vertical transmission to human food. To do so, the FDA is proposing the testing of “direct human contact animal feed” (e.g., pet food and treats, and other feeds intended to be handled by humans) for the presence of any Salmonella, and the testing of other animal feeds for the presence of Salmonella strains of known concern to specific animal species.

 

“Advancements in the ability to definitively trace a pathogenic outbreak to its root cause have solidified the link between animal feed and pet food contaminated with Salmonella and human and animal illness,” said Ed Bradley, Neogen’s vice president of Food Safety. “As we’ve proven by working with numerous worldwide food and feed industries over the years, we offer the animal feed industry not only exceptional rapid testing options, but also the expertise and experience to put the tests to their best use.”

 

Neogen offers the industry several testing platforms to meet varied customer needs. The company’s AOAC-approved Reveal 2.0 Salmonella test system greatly simplifies the Salmonella testing protocol by instituting comprehensive sample enrichment procedures that apply to most sample commodities. Neogen’s AOAC-approved GeneQuence Salmonella combines the superior specificity of DNA hybridization technology with the ability to rapidly process up to 372 samples at once using a fully automated method, or a small number of samples via a non-automated approach.

 

The company also recently announced that its rapid test for Salmonella enteritidis (SE) has been approved by AOAC and has been determined by the FDA to be equivalent to the FDA’s traditional testing method in accuracy, precision, and sensitivity for detecting SE.

 

In its draft guidance, the FDA listed Salmonella strains of concern in particular animal feeds as including: poultry feed with Salmonella pullorum, Salmonella gallinarum, or Salmonella enteritidis; swine feed with Salmonella choleraesuis; sheep feed with Salmonella abortusovis; horse feed with Salmonella abortusequi; and dairy and beef feed(s) with Salmonella newport or Salmonella dublin.

 

Neogen Corporation develops and markets products dedicated to food and animal safety. The company’s Food Safety Division markets diagnostic test kits to detect foodborne bacteria, natural toxins, genetic modifications, food allergens, drug residues, plant diseases, and sanitation concerns, and dehydrated culture media. Neogen’s Animal Safety Division markets a complete line of diagnostics, veterinary instruments, veterinary pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements, disinfectants, and rodenticides.