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Foodborne transmission of Salmonella spp. from contaminated duck meat has been recognised as an important hazard for human health in the past few decades and pathogenic strains of Salmonella spp. have long been considered as serious zoonotic hazards. The nutritional quality is the main reason for the fact that duck meat is very attractive for consumers worldwide, so measures to preserve the safety of duck meat are very important. Duck meat has received little attention in epidemiological studies, but undoubtedly the consumption of contaminated duck meat poses a high risk of foodborne disease just like other types of poultry meat and reports showed that 2% of all foodborne outbreaks were associated with consumption of duck meat. Furthermore, some results showed that contamination of duck meat with Salmonella spp. was 29.9% and was the highest in comparison with chicken (5%), turkey (5%) as well as meat of other poultry species. Prevalence of Salmonella spp. on duck farms in different countries significantly varied with time, ranging from 3.3% to 66.7%. The widespread use of antibiotics could be a significant cause in the development and transmission of resistance determinants from duck to humans via the food chain. The relationship between duck meat and the occurrence of salmonellosis in humans, mainly due to the lack of proper regulations, is reviewed in the present paper. The need for regular control of the presence of Salmonella in ducks, their environment and duck meat is highlighted. Continuous monitoring and reporting on incidents in the future should improve the current regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic (As) is highly toxic element, even at very low concentrations in feed and drinking water. Its physiological role in poultry is well established, as it is essential for the synthesis of methionine metabolites including cysteine, even though it is a teratogenic and carcinogenic element. Paradoxically, recent studies have uncovered its nutritional value. The recommended amounts of As in poultry feed are between 0.012 and 0.050 mg/kg. Water is the primary route for the transfer of As and exposure of animals to its toxic effects. The available data on the impact of water contamination on the deposition of As in broiler tissues are rather scarce. The amount of As was 0.006-0.015 mg/kg in breast meat, 0.007-0.017 mg/kg in drumstick meat, 0.001-0.014 mg/kg in liver and 0.008-0.016 mg/kg in testicles of broilers at the end of a 42 day experiment after exposure to naturally contaminated drinking water. The toxic dose of As for poultry is between 40 and 50 mg/kg of poultry feed whereas the amount of 40 mg/kg leads to decreased egg production and the amount of 50 mg/kg leads to decreased feed consumption. Symptoms of chronic As exposure differ among individuals, populations and geographic regions, which suggests that there is no universal definition of symptoms associated with chronic As poisoning. Moreover, some individuals can tolerate high As, that is, levels that can be fatal for others. In wild birds, the content of As was the highest in meat of march hens (0.063 mg/kg), seagull muscle tissue (0.058 mg/kg), in meat from swans (0.022 mg/kg) and the white-tailed eagle (0.022 mg/kg). In this review, the essential role and toxicity of As in poultry nutrition is addressed with particular emphasis on its importance as a contaminant of poultry feed and products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The levels of essential microelements in poultry feed must be high enough to satisfy the birds' requirements, yet low enough to ensure the safety of both animal feed and meat and eggs for human nutrition. The essential role of vanadium (V), chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) in poultry nutrition is still under investigation, while their toxicity was well established a long time ago. Even though some feeds might represent a potential source of harmful amounts of microelements, the combination of relevant quality control programs in the animal feed industry, as well as the application of good production practices and the adequate education of nutritionists can substantially reduce the risks associated with overfeeding such minerals. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the role, importance and needs of poultry for V, Cr and Ni. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]