Mitigating safety: Challenges in pet food manufacturing

Food-borne infectious agents can affect the health of pets, while mycotoxins are also a hazard in the global pet food supply chain. Fats, protein meals, meat slurries and other ingredients added during pet food manufacturing can be prone to cross-contamination and bacterial growth. In addition, finished dry pet foods can still be contaminated with mold, yeasts and Salmonella.

Dry and canned pet food dominate the market, but alternative formats that are gaining traction include frozen and refrigerated products as pet owners seek foods for their dogs and cats that resemble human food formats. Safety risks can arise from these new formats due to moisture levels, transportation, and storage challenges.

Panel discussion: We'll examine the measures pet food processors can apply to curb potential outbreaks and costly recalls linked to mycotoxin or pathogen contamination.

• What more that can be done within the pet food supply chain to ensure pet food safety risks are fully controlled?
• What factors have been behind the headline grabbing recalls of the past few years?
• Do opportunities exist to commit food fraud in the pet food sector?