ISSUE FOCUS 30 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE June 2025 BACTERIAL AND VIRAL PATHOGENS IN ANIMAL FEED: Understanding Risks and Biosecurity Measures Dr. Yun-Mei Amy Lin Technical Director Anitox “Feed biosecurity involves implementing comprehensive procedures to prevent the introduction and spread of disease-causing pathogens throughout animal production systems. Given feed's widespread distribution and direct access to food-producing animals, it has become a critical focal point for biosecurity innovation.” Heightened awareness of bacterial and viral pathogens, resulting from high-profile outbreaks, have highlighted the critical need for comprehensive biosecurity. With recent and ongoing research demonstrating that feed can serve as a vector for pathogen transmission within the food animal production chain, it remains an important point for effective intervention. The challenge extends beyond initial contamination. Even after pelleting, bacterial populations rapidly rebound, creating re-contamination before feed ever leaves the mill. This biological reality demands sanitizers with genuine residual control—not just kill-and-fade solutions. Feed biosecurity involves implementing comprehensive procedures to prevent the introduction and spread of disease-causing pathogens throughout animal production systems. Given feed's widespread distribution and direct access to food-producing animals, it has become a critical focal point for biosecurity innovation. OUTBREAKS RESHAPE BIOSECURITY APPROACHES The Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) outbreak in 2014 affected 23 states and caused devastating mortality rates among piglets, and in 2018, African Swine Fever (ASF) led to the culling of millions of pigs in China and severely disrupted global pork supplies. In the poultry sector, we continue to see Avian Metapneumovirus and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) pose serious challenges. Each outbreak leaves its mark on producer approaches to biosecurity across the industry, with practices such as feed sanitation, which were once limited to genetic companies, being widely adopted throughout the production chain. While viral outbreaks often make headlines, bacterial pathogens remain a persistent concern in animal feed. For years, we have understood the ingress of bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli and Clostridia into live production. Feed ingredients, equipment and vehicles can harbor pathogens that may contaminate fin-
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