UK to tackle Salmonella risks in raw pet food

All six projects involve academic researchers collaborating with commercial companies and/or government agencies within the human and pet food sectors to establish solutions to common food safety issues.

Established in 2022 by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), The UK Food Safety Network strives to tackle challenges associated with food safety and prevent food poisoning throughout the United Kingdom. The network brings together various food industries, policymakers, researchers and academics to pursue research and create innovations to protect the country from foodborne illnesses.

The raw pet food project involves using bacteriophages to help decrease Salmonella contamination in raw pet food products. According to the Quadram Institute, raw pet foods are growing in popularity throughout the United Kingdom as pet parents seek non-processed diets to improve their pets' health. However, raw pet foods can carry higher risk of contamination compared to their cooked counterparts.