Introduction to animal feed contamination

Abstract: Global acquisition of feed materials has become common in order to achieve economically viable production of animal feeds. At the same time this globalization increases the risk for potential microbiological and toxicological contaminants that determine the quality and nutritional value of feeds, but more importantly also the safety of animal-derived foods such as milk, meat and eggs. Quality control programmes require a stratified multidisciplinary approach addressing the entire food chain, from agricultural sourcing through processing to animal nutrition and assessment of animal and human health risks.