Risks associated with feeding raw or improperly cooked food wastes to swine

Food Waste Feeding to Swine is also commonly known as Garbage Feeding or Swill. In Spanish it is known as Escamocha, Lavaza, Descarte, Friegue, Filtradas and Sobras. Some backyard swine owners might not be aware that feeding raw or improperly cooked food wastes to swine poses a risk of introducing devastating foreign animal diseases.

What is Food Waste?
Food waste refers to plate waste, kitchen or table scraps, garbage or swill, and all food residuals discarded after serving. It can be defined as any edible material or by-product that is generated in the production, processing, transportation, distribution, or consumption of food.




Disease Risk
Contaminated meat that is present in untreated food waste can cause diseases that may be spread to other livestock or to humans. Illegally imported animal products, such as meats and sausages, could cause outbreaks of foreign animal diseases such as foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, African swine fever, swine vesicular disease, pseudorabies or Aujeszky’s disease, brucellosis, tuberculosis and transmissible gastroenteritis if fed to swine without being properly cooked. Other public health agents of concern that could be present in food waste from any source are Salmonella, Campylobacter, Trichinella, and Toxoplasma.

Cooking Food Waste
Raw Meat Present in Food Waste Must be Cooked.
Food waste or garbage fed to swine must be heat treated, as mandated by the 1980 Swine Health Protection Act, to reduce the risk of foreign animal diseases and to eliminate any other pathogens.

All table or plate scraps resulting from handling, preparation, cooking, or consumption of food requires cooking before feeding to swine. The swine health act does not require cooking of non-meat food waste or by-product items (e.g., bakery waste, vegetable waste, etc.).

In California, food waste containing raw meat is required to be heated throughout at boiling (212o F or 100o C) for 2 (two) hours; and be agitated during cooking to ensure that the prescribed cooking temperature is maintained throughout the cooking container for the prescribed length of time.

Restaurants, Food Transporters and Disposers of Food Waste
Businesses that prepare and sell food (restaurants, hotels, fast food outlets, hospitals, schools and other institutions) must not dispose of food waste in any way that would make it available for food waste feeding. Likewise, those involved in the handling, transporting and disposal of food waste must not dispose of food waste in any way that would make it available for food waste feeding. Leftover fruit, vegetables or breads that have been on the same plate as animal products or by-products must not be fed to swine unless properly cooked.

Livestock Owners
Although some people may think that food waste is a cheap source of feed, it can put the livestock industry and the whole economy at risk. Livestock owners must not feed raw or improperly cooked food waste to swine. This includes food scraps from the household and from food businesses.

What Should Swine be Fed?
Swine can be fed commercially prepared swine • Prevent contact of animals that have been rations, grain, fruit and vegetable from markets. Do off your premises with others animals on not feed vegetable, fruit or bread scraps that have your premises. been in contact with animal products or by-products • Implement and maintain an effective rodent unless properly cooked. Bread that contains any control program. Biosecurity and good meat material (bacon or ham) or milk by-products hygiene, maintaining perimeters, baiting and that originate from unlicensed milk processing trapping are all part of rodent control. plants should not be fed to swine.

Keeping foreign animal diseases out of the U.S. is everyone's responsibility! How would you feel if you were responsible for introducing a disease like foot and mouth disease into California? Keep foreign animal diseases out of California. Do not feed raw or improperly cooked food waste.


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