Source: MEATINGPLACE, 2/4/15

The Pork Checkoff says new research indicates that the risk of PEDV surviving in feed ingredients of porcine origin is negligible.

The research evaluated the potential for PEDV transmission in rendered products, spray-dried blood products and peptone products derived by a hydrolysis process from pig intestines. All of the processes examined included heating, which plays a role in virus inactivation.

Due to the prolonged high temperatures involved in the rendering and hydrolyzed protein processes, the risk of survival in these products was deemed negligible.

For the project, the University of Minnesota and technical experts from the animal feed and swine industries conducted a risk assessment that integrated all available information on the subject. They noted the availability of some specific data was limited.

Lower temperatures a concern

Spray drying, however, involves shorter and lower temperatures in order to preserve the protein quality. Data from two laboratory experiments with spray dryers indicated a substantial reduction in PEDV that resulted in no infection of either cell cultures or live pigs.

Laboratory processes may not exactly reflect the range of conditions in commercial scale spray dryers, the researchers noted.
“Because the time and temperature profiles used in spray-drying are less severe, the possibility of virus survival is inherently greater,” the report said. “However, currently available data indicate that probability of PEDV surviving the spray-drying process and current post-processing storage periods is extremely small.”

The researchers also looked at the likelihood for post-processing contamination of the finished ingredient and concluded the risk with most potential pathways was negligible.

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