Veterinary Perspectives on Animal-Derived Food Systems: Bridging Safety, Quality and One Health

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to consolidate cutting-edge veterinary research on the interconnected challenges of safety, quality, and sustainability within animal-derived food systems. Drawing on the One Health framework, it will explore the complex interplay between animal health, production practices, environmental factors, and human outcomes. The scope encompasses multidisciplinary studies investigating:

Food Safety and Pathogen Control: Advanced detection methods for zoonotic pathogens (e.g., Salmonella, Listeria, Hepatitis E, Trichinella, Staphylococcus aureus) across the food chain; efficacy of interventions (e.g., antimicrobials, essential oils, packaging); epidemiology of foodborne hazards in meat, dairy, and seafood.

Meat Science and Quality Optimization: Impact of pre- and post-slaughter factors (transport, stress, lesions, processing) on carcass traits, biochemical profiles, and sensory attributes; novel assessment methods (e.g., computer vision); quality enhancement in traditional (e.g., Sremski kulen) and industrial products.

Production System Integrity: Hygiene management in primary production and processing; effects of farming practices (e.g., grazing systems, feed composition) on product safety/nutrition; validation of HACCP and integrated food safety systems in diverse settings.

Innovative Monitoring and Risk Mitigation: Development and application of biomarkers for stress/quality; molecular characterization of contaminants; predictive modeling of hazards; technological advances in food analysis and inspection.

We seek contributions highlighting veterinary science’s pivotal role in safeguarding food integrity—from farm-level biosecurity and animal welfare to processing hygiene and final product evaluation. Research bridging laboratory findings with practical solutions for enhancing food safety protocols, preserving nutritional value, and ensuring sustainable practices is especially encouraged. This issue will serve as a critical platform for disseminating knowledge that protects public health while advancing the resilience of global animal-derived food systems.

Prof. Dr. Neđeljko Karabasil
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• animal-derived food safety
• pathogens
• meat quality
• sustainable food production systems
• one health