Bor, Nicholas, Sentamu, Derrick, Chepyatich, Dorcas, Muinde, Patrick, Onono, Joshua 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4245-1232 and Thomas, Lian F ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8447-1210
(2021)
Food Safety & Animal Welfare in the Pork Value Chain of Nairobi.
[Data Collection]
Description
Pork production and consumption in Kenya is increasing rapidly, with a projected 203% increase in production between 2000-2030[1]. Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, is an example of a rapidly changing urban environment where pork consumption is rising. Previous value-chain mapping undertaken through the ‘Urban Zoo’ project identified four major pork value chains in the vicinity of Nairobi. The pork supply to Nairobi is dominated (84%) by one large integrated company which sells the majority of its products to middle-high income consumers. The next largest pork supply to Nairobi is through a peri-urban abattoir slaughtering approximately 215 pigs/week, the vast majority (95%) of which are raised in urban and peri-urban farms in the surrounding area and which supplies retail and ‘pork joint’ outlets serving the middle-low income consumers in Nairobi. Pork consumption has been associated with risk of exposure to Taenia solium , Salmonella spp., and Toxoplasma gondii amongst other pathogens[2]. The WHO Foodborne disease reference group (FERG) has indicated that T. solium is responsible for one of the greatest burdens of all foodborne diseases [3] and the burden of foodborne disease is felt most heavily in low & middle income countries such as Kenya [4]. A preliminary survey, utilising a commercial antigen ELISA, estimated an apparent Taenia spp. prevalence of 8.7% in pigs slaughtered at this key abattoir, indicating just one of the potential hazards present in pork consumed in Nairobi [5]. The ag-ELISA used, however, has demonstrated cross-reactivity with the non-zoonotic tapeworm T. hydategena and confirmatory tests are therefore required to determine the infection status of animals entering the pork value chain [6]. Other research groups have identified a high (13.8%) prevalence of Salmonella spp. in pork produced in Nairobi [7], but as yet we do not have any data on the presence and prevalence of other foodborne hazards including T. gondii and antimicrobial residues, which may be an important driver to antimicrobial resistance in consumers. While undertaking food-safety hazard identification we are provided an opportunity to also undertake an assessment of animal welfare. Not only is it a moral imperative for us to ensure the welfare of the livestock that we rely on is protected, poor animal welfare can lead to economic losses (through trimming, condemnation or downgrading of carcasses) and increase the likelihood of carcasses being contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria, i.e. through broken skin such as tail biting lesions. Five hundred and twenty-nine pigs were sampled between 5th January and 5th March 2021 at a large, non-integrated abbattoir in Nariobi, Kenya. Observational data and biological samples were collected. Meat samples were tested for ultimate pH, colour, drip-loss % and presence of antimicrobial residues using the Premi-test microinhibition test. Sera was tested using a commercial indirect multi-species ELISA from ID Vet Innovative Diagnostic, Montpellier, France to determine the presence of Toxoplasma specific IgG and partial carcass dissection (masseters, heart, tounge) undertaken to detect presence of T. solium cysticercosis.
| Keywords: | Porcine, Welfare, Meat Quality, Toxoplasmosis, Cysticercosis, Antimicrobial Residues |
|---|---|
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences > Livestock & One Health |
| Depositing User: | Lian Thomas |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Sep 2021 09:59 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Sep 2021 14:46 |
| DOI: | 10.17638/datacat.liverpool.ac.uk/1441 |
| Geography: | Nairobi, Kenya |
| URI: | https://datacat.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/1441 |
Available Files
Data
Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 |
Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 |
