Preharvest food safety, zoonotic diseases, and the human health interface

The ultimate purpose of rearing domestic swine is to supply wholesome and nutritious protein to humans. This chapter presents an overview of potential negative human health risks associated with foodborne, direct contact, or environmental exposures associated with pigs. Physical foodborne hazards are foreign objects that can cause injury to those that consume food products. Chemical hazards are toxic substances and any other compounds that may render food unsafe for human consumption. Biological hazards are those foodborne hazards caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other infectious agents. Many zoonotic diseases are a risk from direct contact with swine. Influenza A virus is an RNA virus, and its genome is composed of 8 separate segments that encode up to 11 proteins. Hepatitis E virus is the leading cause of enterically transmitted sporadic non-A and non-B hepatitis in tropical and subtropical countries. Antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens is a global public health concern.