One of the biggest concerns I come across when it comes to raw are about the bacterial and parasitic risks that could affect both themselves, their family and their dogs. I'm not here to try and convince you that raw meat is sterile and free from all bacteria, but good hygiene practices, responsible sourcing and good handling & storage mean that these risks are low.
Physiological Adaptations
Evolution has equipped your dog with some amazing ways to handle bacteria. If we start in the mouth, there are special enzymes present, known as lysozymes, which gives the saliva anti-bacterial properties and causes lysis of bacterial cells (a fancy way to say the bacterial membranes are destroyed). This is your dog's first line of defense when it comes to handling bacteria.
In the gastrointestinal tract, the low pH of the stomach creates an acidic environment. The gastric pH is never constant, and will always change depending on what is being digested. Enzymes secreted from the walls of the stomach to digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates function more efficiently in certain conditions; as the stomach is acidic, most of the fat and carbohydrate digestion will occur once the chyme (the mush of partially digested food) moves into the small intestines. The bacteria associated with raw food, such as Salmonella spp. and E.Coli, are sensitive to acidic environments and cannot survive. There are some exceptions to this, however; some strains of bacteria can develop adaptive mechanisms which circumvent the acidic conditions, but this is very rare.
Company Procedures
In the UK, commercially available raw pet food products are subject to stringent microbiological testing, in line with sector specific guidelines. Adherence to DEFRA regulations means that there are extremely robust guidelines in place that raw food manufacturers must follow. Health and hygiene are paramount, with regular monitoring and inspections of facilities, ingredients and manufacturing processes. Raw food companies must perform microbiological testing of batches to ensure there are no positive results that present a risk to public safety. Most importantly, there is a zero tolerance approach to positive results, and affected batches are recalled or withdrawn before they are released for general sale. Selecting a reputable manufacturer who are DEFRA registered is critical to ensure these measures are adhered to.
Freezing Practices for Parasites
There is a small parasitic risk with all fresh meat and fish. If you are sourcing fresh meat or fish from the supermarket, butchers, local game keepers or by other means, then it is important that you freeze it at an appropriate temperature and for a sufficient length of time. Freezing will not kill bacteria (it will leave it dormant instead), but it will kill parasites if done correctly. All fresh meat and fish should be frozen for at least 10days at a temperature of no less than -18°C (-4°F). Freezing at this temperature for this period of time will have lethal effects on the following:
Neospora caninum found in raw beef.
Toxoplasma gondii found in any raw meat.
Neorickettsia helminthoeca found in raw salmon.
Taenia spp. found in raw beef, lamb and pork.
Enchinococcus found in raw lamb, goat, pork and beef.
Toxocara spp. found in raw carcasses and offal.
Sarcocystis found in raw lamb.
In most cases, it is not necessary to freeze raw purchased directly from manufacturers or suppliers for the purpose of parasite destruction. Once manufactured, it will be blast frozen to a very low temperature to ensure it is safe to supply and the parasite risk is low.
Storage & Freezing
Raw materials should be kept frozen at a temperature of -18°c or less, in the original packing or freeze-safe boxes and bags. Ideally, they should be kept separate in the refrigerator and freezer from food intended for human consumption.
When defrosting, the raw should be kept in a cleaned, sealed container (such as a clip top Tupperware box) and stored in the bottom of the refrigerator until ready to serve. Defrosted food will be safe to keep for 3-4 days, if stored in the bottom of the refrigerator. Raw can be defrosted quicker by leaving it on the side for a few hours, but bacteria load will increase as the temperature rises. If defrosting to portion up, the raw should only be defrosted enough to cut or slice up; you should avoid letting it fully defrost and then re-freezing.
Hygiene Protocols
As with any raw meat for pet or human consumption, standard hygiene protocols should be followed. This involves:
Wiping down surfaces with antibacterial wipes when preparing or serving raw food.
Using separate chopping boards, preparation equipment, utensils and plates when preparing and serving raw food.
Using a good antibacterial hand wash after handling raw meat, ensuring you thoroughly wash your palms, fingertips, wrists, back of hands and in between the fingers.
Washing bowls, plates and other equipment in hot, soapy water immediately after use.
Never wash raw meat, as this increases the spread of bacteria onto surrounded surfaces.
It is recommended that the feeding vessel is ceramic, glass or stainless steel. Plastic and other such materials are very porous and will hold onto the bacteria that may be present in the raw meat.