4 Responsibilities of Veterinary Services in Promoting Food Safety

21 July 2022
 Categories: , Blog


Did you know that one in six Americans get zoonotic diseases every year? Some illnesses result from undercooked food or unhygienic practices, while others result from consuming infected animal products. So, what roles does a veterinarian play to keep you from the percentage who suffer zoonotic illnesses?

1. Enhance Animal Welfare

As a basic principle, animal welfare equates to healthy food. Stressed animals are more prone to illnesses and make farmers seek veterinary services. Nonetheless, the treatment increases drug residue in meat or milk. Farmers have a role in controlling the risk associated with veterinary medical products.

One of the best ways to ensure effective control is for farmers to design an animal health plan with a veterinarian.

2. Enhance Appropriate Medicine Use

Farmer use medicines on ill animals at some point in the animal's life. Often, farmers seek guidance from vets on the medication and dosage to use. For example, frequent use of antibiotics causes animal resistance to antibiotics. Besides, if the affected animal gets to the slaughterhouse or market with more than the allowed residue, humans might also become resistant to antibiotics.

A veterinarian ensures that such cases don't occur by ensuring farmers use animal medication appropriately.

3. Guarantee the Safety of Animal Feeds

Animals' health is affected by what the animal eats, so vets find and remove any source of toxins in animal food. When animals consume toxic food, sometimes the contaminants pass on to humans through meat, eggs, and milk consumption. As a result, you also get bacteria and other pathogens into your bloodstream. The common toxins found in animal products include:

  • Bacteria, e.g., Salmonella and Escherichia Coli common in eggs and poultry
  • Natural chemicals such as aflatoxins found in grain mold
  • Viruses like Hepatitis A that cause liver disease

4. Enhance Slaughterhouse Safety

At the slaughterhouse, a veterinarian inspects and removes ill or dead animals from the food chain. Besides, the vet confirms that the amount of drug residue in the animals doesn't exceed the set threshold.

Slaughterhouse checks allow for further identification of inappropriate chemicals used in production. The aim is to ensure that any meat that moves to the market doesn't contain contaminants.

Conclusion

Whereas many people don't associate vets with food products, vets play a significant role in protecting your health. Veterinarian services are paramount at every stage of animal-related foods. This provision significantly reduces the loopholes that let toxins and harsh chemicals get into your food.


Share