An assessment of the risk of companion animals acquiring Salmonella, Escherichia coli spp., Campylobacter spp. and MRSA from contaminated raw pet food, and associated risks to pet owners from the use of these product in the home.

Raw pet food (RPF) has become more popular in recent years among pet owners in developed
countries. RPF products are made from Category 3 Animal-By-Products (ABP) that have been
passed fit for human consumption in a slaughterhouse but are surplus to human consumption
needs. As RPF products do not undergo cooking or heat treatment there is no formal ‘kill step’ in
the production process, resulting in an end product that can be contaminated with a range of
pathogens.
This assessment considers the risk of dogs and cats acquiring Salmonella spp., betaglucuronidase-positive Escherichia coli (E. coli), Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC),
Campylobacter spp. and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection from
contaminated RPF products. The risk of infection to pet owners through handling these products
in the home or via transmission from an infected pet is also considered.
A survey recently undertaken by the Food Standards Agency to sample and test raw dog and cat
food products on retail sale in the UK from March 2023 to February 2024 has detected a high
prevalence of these pathogens in RPF products, which is reflected in the literature in similar
surveys done in other parts of the world. These pathogens are potentially harmful to dogs and
cats when consumed in RPF and to owners via cross contamination.
This risk assessment was produced using a multidimensional model of risk. The risk levels and
severity of detriment are summarised in the tables below and are discussed in further detail in the
risk assessment.