Contaminated feed? ☣

🤔 African swine fever (ASF) has spread in Europe and other parts of the world in recent years and has developed into a worldwide animal disease. The question is: since the pathogen is sometimes very stable in environmental conditions, could it be transmitted via feed, water, and other inanimate materials? 

    • Well, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), there's no proof of that. However…  

🤝 An international research project aims to fully answer that question. Funded by the EFSA, several universities are collaborating to further research the stability of ASF viruses on various feed and bedding materials under practical storage conditions.

    • So far, it seems that processing steps largely inactivate any ASF viruses. True enough, products handled improperly could be contaminated, but still, if applicable hygiene regulations are followed, that route of transmission is still unlikely.  

🔍 For feed that is not subjected to further treatment and is fed directly, transmission can’t be ruled out. If you click here, you’ll understand more about it.