TABLE 2.
Analysis of C. botulinum type and count, presence of botulinum toxin, and pH in the raw materials used in the production of fur animal feed and in completed feeda
| Sample | pH | PCR resultb | Toxin assayc (MLD/g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw materials (country of origin) added to feed base mass produced on day 1 and stored overnight | |||
| Fish entrails (Finland) | 5.3 | 0/20 | — |
| Frozen fish (Finland) | NA | NA | NA |
| Acidified beef slaughter waste material (Finland) | 4.3-5.2 | C, 1/60 (0.02) | — |
| Heat-processed fur animal carcasses (Finland) | ND | 0/90 | — |
| Mink fat (Finland) | ND | 0/20 | — |
| Barley flour (Finland) | NA | NA | NA |
| Soy flour (Germany) | ND | 0/10 | — |
| Feather powder (Germany) | 6.6 | C, 4/20 (0.2) | — |
| Meat and bone powder (Finland) | 6.6 | B, 2/20 (0.1); C, 2/20 (0.1) | — |
| Meat powder (Finland) | ND | 0/10 | — |
| Vitamin preparations (Finland) | ND | C, 1/60 (0.02) | ND |
| Iron solution (Finland) | ND | 0/30 | ND |
| Chalk (Finland) | ND | 0/10 | — |
| Methionine solution (Finland) | ND | 0/20 | ND |
| Raw materials added to base mass on day 2 before mixing | |||
| Barley porridge (Finland) | 4.5-5.3d | NA | NA |
| Acidified beef slaughter waste material (Finland)e | |||
| Nonacidified poultry slaughter waste material (Sweden) | 6.8-6.9 | C, 19/70 (0.3); E, 1/70 (0.01) | — |
| Flour (Finland) | NA | NA | NA |
| Completed fur animal feed | |||
| Feed produced on day 1 | 5.1 | 0/10 | — |
| Feed produced on day 2 | 4.9 | C, 4/10 (0.5) | C (>600) |
| Feed produced on day 3 | 4.6-5.6 | C, 8/270 (0.03); E, 1/270 (0.004) | — |
| Composite sample of feed produced on days 2 and 3 | 4.9 | 0/30 | C |
a
NA, feed component not available for laboratory investigation; ND, not determined.
b
C. botulinum type detected, number of positive tubes/number of tubes tested (most-probable-number estimate of cell count [spores/gram of sample material]).
c
Type of toxin detected and toxin concentration. —, no toxin detected.
d
Normal pH range as reported by the feed processing plant associated with the outbreak.
e
Described elsewhere in the table.