The Food and Drug Administration has awarded Anil Thachil, BVsc, Ph.D., in the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine a grant to investigate the quality of commercial raw meat diets for pets.
Whether originating from the manufacturer or the FDA, recent recalls of raw meat diets that were suspected of bacterial contamination have included beef, chicken and jerky. “Some of these raw pet foods carry harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria and Campylobacter that cause disease in pets and people,” says Dr. Thachil, who directs the department’s Bacteriology Laboratory at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center. “Our companion animals share our homes and activities, and they are an important part of our lives. We need to identify those disease agents in raw meat diets to safeguard both the public and our pets.”
