Focus of this symposium will be on what microbial hazards that may be present in imported foods including the importation of bushmeat, whether legally or smuggled. Many foods are single ingredient commodities yet many would be surprised on the number of foods that have up to 100 ingredients which in this day of global commerce truly provides an international flavor. Speakers will detail how foods are made with ingredients from around the world, discuss the grave concern about fraud in foods, e.g., is that really horsemeat in my meatballs or where did that fish originate from; and an overview of how the world has changed and the effect this has had on the global food supply. Bushmeat is defined as game meat made from wild animals that are hunted and slaughtered, particularly from the tropics of Africa, Asia and the Americas.  Of note is the amount that is smuggled illegally into European countries and the U.S. are staggering. Although bacterial pathogens are always a concern, more attention is given to viruses and the potential for rapid spread to both human and animal populations. The importance of these measures can easily be demonstrated by the rapid spread of viruses through local populations and onto larger scales, from within a country and beyond international borders, as we have witnessed with the latest Ebola outbreak as well as other emerging infectious disease agents, such as MERs, Avian flu viruses.  Another example of the rapid spread of a microbial pathogen has been documented with porcine virus that had ravaged the pig population in China as well as the pig population in the United States with staggering number of deaths. This symposium will bring to light the potential impact of microbial pathogens in imported and smuggled foods on public and animal health.

Presentations