Novel foods: a risk profile for the house cricket (Acheta domesticus)

Novel foods could represent a sustainable alternative to traditional farming and conventional foodstuffs. Starting in 2018, Regulation (EU) 2283/2015 entered into force, laying down provisions for the approval of novel foods in Europe, including insects. This Approved Regulation establishes the requirements that enable Food Business Operators to bring new foods into the EU market, while ensuring high levels of food safety for European consumers. The present risk profile tackles the hazards for one of the most promising novel food insects, the house cricket (Acheta domesticus). The risk profile envisages a closed A. domesticus crickets rearing system, under Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and good farming practices (GFP), in contrast with open cricket farms. The methodology used involves screening the literature and identifying possible hazards, followed by adding relevant inclusion criteria for the evidence obtained. These criteria include animal health and food safety aspects, for the entire lifespan of crickets, based on the farm to fork One Health principle. When data were scarce, comparative evidence from close relatives of the Orthoptera genus was used (e.g. grasshoppers, locusts and other cricket species). Nevertheless, significant data gaps in animal health and food safety are present. Even if HACCP-type systems are implemented, the risk profile identifies the following considerable concerns: (1) high total aerobic bacterial counts; (2) survival of spore-forming bacteria following thermal processing; (3) allergenicity of insects and insect-derived products; and (4) the bioaccumulation of heavy metals (e.g. cadmium). Other hazards like parasites, fungi, viruses, prions, antimicrobial resistance and toxins are ranked as low risk. For some hazards, a need for additional evidence is highlighted.</p

Brachyspira hyodysenteriae and other strongly beta-haemolytic and indole-positive spirochaetes isolated from mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

The aims of the current study were to collect intestinal spirochaetes (genus Brachyspira) from farmed and wild mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and to identify and classify those isolates that phenotypically resembled Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, an enteric pathogen of pigs. The isolation rate of Brachyspira spp. was high from both farmed (93%) and wild mallards (78%). In wild mallards, it appeared that Brachyspira spp. were more likely to be found in migratory birds (multivariate analysis: RR = 1(.)8, 95% Cl 1(.)1-3(.)1) than in mallards sampled in a public park. Pure cultures of putative B. hyodysenteriae were obtained from 22 birds. All five isolates from farmed mallards and ten randomly selected isolates with this phenotype were used for further studies. All isolates from farmed mallards and two of the isolates from wild mallards were PCR-positive for the tlyA gene of B. hyodysenteriae. Two isolates from farmed mallards were selected for pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. These isolates clustered with the type and reference strains of B. hyodysenteriae. 16S rDNA sequence analysis performed on 11 of the strains showed that they were all closely related to each other and to the B. hyodysenteriae-Brachyspira intermedia cluster. Three of the mallard isolates had 16S rDNA sequences that were identical to those of B. hyodysenteriae strains R1 and NIV-1 previously isolated from common rheas (Rhea americana). To conclude, the isolates from farmed mallards and two isolates from wild mallards were classified as B. hyodysenteriae based on the factthat they could not be differentiated by any of the applied methods from type, reference and field strains of B. hyodysenteriae. The remaining isolates could not be assigned irrefutably to any of the presently recognized Brachyspira species. These results point to a broader host spectrum of B. hyodysenteriae than is generally recognized, and to the presence in mallards of strongly haemolytic and indole-producing spirochaetes that possess many, but not all, of the currently recognized characteristics of B. hyodysenteriae

Antimicrobial sensitivity-A natural resource to be protected by a Pigouvian tax?

Since their discovery more than 70 years ago antibiotic drugs have been efficient tools for treating bacterial infections, and their use has reduced the number of fatalities and the suffering from bacterial diseases. However, the use of antibiotics may lead to resistance to the same or other antibiotics. The risk of resistance appears to be larger in veterinary medicine, since antibiotics have been given as feed-additives in animal production, the amounts given are larger, and the risk of selecting the wrong antibiotic is higher due to lack of diagnostic facilities. Historically, as resistance developed, new classes of antibiotics were developed, but today however, the flow of new substances has slowed. The resistance that arises from antibiotic use is a negative externality or a cost that is not included in the price of antibiotics since it affects the public good of antibiotic sensitivity. The negative externality implies that antibiotic consumption becomes too high. Antibiotic use can be restricted by e.g., prohibiting the use in animal feeding stuffs, prescription only use, or banning the use for animals or by using economic incentives, but restrictions on antibiotic use could have negative effects on the development of new antimicrobials since restrictions might reduce the profitability of such efforts to the pharmaceutical industry. It is therefore of interest to see what economic theory can contribute towards a solution. The objective of this study is to examine if a Pigouvian tax is an option for balancing the externalities and incentives for veterinary drug use. However, as a practical solution, it is suggested to use the costs of developing new antibiotics for determining the tax. The magnitude the tax based on European Union numbers ranges between 29 and 287(sic) per kilogram active substance or between 9 and 86% of the average price of commonly used antibiotics depending on the foreseen period in years (1-10 years) between the development of a new antibiotic drug. Hence, the sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics should be managed as a finite natural resource. A tax based on the expected costs of development new antibiotic substances may offer a practical option for balancing the incentives and externalities of antibiotic use and development. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Food chain information in the European pork industry: Where are we?

Background: The European General Food Law (Regulation No 178/2002) declares that risk analysis should be the basis of food legislation to achieve a high level of protection of human health. Concerning meat safety, the food chain information (FCI) set down by Regulation No 853/2004 is a very important tool that is required for animals admitted to slaughter. To properly integrate FCI, harmonised epidemiological indicators (HEIs) have been proposed by EFSA for high priority risks and risks that might emerge in the future. Scope and approach: In the pig meat chain, the HEIs within meat inspection cover Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Toxoplasma gondii, Trichinella spp., Taenia solium and mycobacteria. Nevertheless, ten years after the HEIs specification were published, only two biological hazards (Trichinella and Salmonella) are included in official control programs in the EU countries. While Trichinella monitoring is mandatory, Salmonella control plans have been implemented by some countries only. Key findings and conclusions: In countries where Salmonella in pigs is monitored at farm level, the status of the farm is described in the FCI. This information is crucial for the risk manager to organise slaughter operations and implement hygienic measures, as well as for the competent authorities to properly follow inspection procedures and additional controls according to Regulation No 2019/627. Since FCI needs to enable forward and backward flow of information on animal and public health hazards between all operators involved in pig husbandry and pig meat production, its implementation with HEIs will allow risk-based decision making in food safety

Willingness to pay for compulsory deworming of pets entering Sweden to prevent introduction of Echinoccoccus multilocularis

To investigate if the Swedish entry rules for pets to prevent the introduction of Echinococcus multilocularis (EM) are proportional (i.e. that their costs do not exceed the value of their benefits), a dichotomous-choice contingent valuation study was conducted. The study was performed before the first case of EM was detected in Sweden in February 2011. About 5000, randomly selected, Swedish citizens were invited to participate and 2192 of them (44%) accepted to do so. Missing information on whether or not one would accept to pay for keeping the rules for 143 respondents resulted in 2049 observations (41%) available for the estimation of willingness to pay (WTP), and missing information on personal characteristics for another 274 respondents reduced the number of observations available for sensitivity analysis to 1775(36%). Annual expected WTP for keeping the rules ranged between (sic) 54.3 and (sic) 99.0 depending on assumptions about compensations demanded by respondents not willing to pay. The estimates are conservative since only answers from respondents that were absolutely certain they would pay the suggested bid were regarded as yes-responses. That WTP is positive implies that Swedish citizens perceived the benefits of the rules to be larger than their costs. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Salmonella enterica prevalence, serotype diversity, antimicrobial resistance and control in the European pork production chain

Background: A risk assessment conducted by EFSA identified Salmonella enterica (Salmonella) as a high-risk hazard at the EU level in the context of meat inspection of swine. Despite pork being considered an important source of S. Typhimurium and its monophasic variant, Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 does not set criteria for specific Salmonella serotypes. Enforcing specific criteria for Salmonella target serotypes could result in a reduction in the prevalence of Salmonella in the pork production chain, as has happened in broiler flocks. Scope and approach: This study gives an overview of Salmonella enterica in the European pork chain, discussing prevalence, serotype diversity, antimicrobial resistance and epidemiological importance during the last 20 years. Additionally, future trends and recommendations regarding control of Salmonella in the European pork production chain are introduced. Key findings and conclusions: The highest proportions of Salmonella-positive samples were observed at the fattening pig farm level, whereas the prevalence of Salmonella on pig carcasses was much lower. Among epidemiologically important serotypes, isolates of S. Typhimurium, and its monophasic variant were found to be resistant to ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole, streptomycin and tetracycline. Future Salmonella control in the pork production chain can preferably be conducted through a risk-based meat safety assurance system. In conclusion, a fit-for-purpose strategy applied to the pork production chain and adapted to the national epidemiological situation can deliver acceptable consumer safety

Health based animal and meat safety cooperative communities

The purposes of meat inspection have been formulated for more than 100 years as (a) protecting health of consumers, (b) maintain the reputation of the meats in home and export markets, and (c) detecting communicable diseases of animals before they have spread beyond easy control. Today, one would add to protect animal welfare, clarify that protecting consumer health includes both chemical and biological hazards, and add food fraud to the issues of reputation. To transform the scientific knowledge into modern meat safety assurance systems (MSAS), the risk managers need to understand the social capital in the meat value chain to align the behaviors of farmers, food business operators and competent authorities with technical knowledge. The meat value chain could be perceived as a commons – a material or immaterial property held jointly by the members of a community, whom may govern access to and use of the property through social structures, traditions, and/or formal rules i.e. social capital. The social capital and food safety culture amongst farmers and food business operators is a key driver for successful meat safety while information asymmetry increases risks for a tragedy of commons scenario. Ostrom's core design principles for stable commons could inform the design of MSASs. Tools for reducing the information asymmetry and building trust and social capital between all stakeholders within the meat value chain include the food safety culture, food chain information, use of health epidemiological indicators, sensors and block chains, industry/private standards, and the applying system approach from farm to fork