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Controlling bacterial pathogen contamination of animal feed products
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04 September 2026

Animal feed is increasingly recognized as a significant reservoir for foodborne and animal pathogens. Minimizing the contribution of contaminated feed to pathogen transmission throughout the food supply chain is therefore critical for ensuring food safety and animal health. Various interventions have been implemented to reduce microbial contamination during feed processing, broadly categorized into physical and chemical approaches. Physical interventions, such as thermal processing through rendering and pelleting, enhance feed quality while reducing microbial loads, although post-processing recontamination remains a persistent challenge. Chemical interventions, including organic acids and aldehydes, continue to play a central role, with recent interest in plant-derived phytochemicals as natural antimicrobial alternatives. Effective feed hygiene depends on strong biosecurity practices and hazard analysis within feed mills to identify and manage critical control points. This chapter summarizes current physical and chemical intervention strategies for pathogen control in animal feeds and highlights future directions for advancing feed safety and biosecurity.
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Microbial ecology and contamination pathways in feed production
- 3 Physical strategies for feed decontamination
- 4 Chemical interventions for feed hygiene management
- 5 Conclusion and future trends in research
- 6 Where to look for further information
- 7 References