Henderson, CO: With the FDA's recent announcement that it plans to begin testing pet food for Salmonella, both consumers and pet food processors are paying closer attention to what Fluffy and Fido eat at home. Birko, a leader in providing food safety solutions for the food industry, carries several special products that can help control Salmonella in pet foods.
"The current concerns are that Salmonella in pet foods could be transmitted to humans who handle the food and then touch their own mouths, as well as cause illness in the pets," said Dr. Elis Owens, a chemist/microbiologist at Birko. "Birko has several antimicrobial processing aids that can be used by pet food processors."
Birko's Beefxide, approved by the USDA for use as an antimicrobial processing aid on beef intended for human consumption, is being applied by some pet food processors to raw meat ingredients prior to grinding. Beefxide is applied using conveyor spray cabinets in a method analogous to treating beef trim during ground beef production.
"Pet food companies are also using Birkoside MP-2, a PAA-based antimicrobial intervention," Owens said. Birkoside MP-2 is fast acting and is approved for use on beef intended for human consumption. It provides a very favorable cost of use per application when compared to other antimicrobial interventions.
Both Beefxide and Birkoside MP-2 are non-toxic, sustainability-friendly products.
Birko' technical representatives are available to advise pet food processors on the use of antimicrobials, lactates and sanitation chemicals. Birko provides complete in-plant cleaning, chemical and sanitation audits, as well as assistance with chemical product usage, custom equipment procurement and employee training.
