The presence and management of contaminants in non-certified, agriculturally sourced food items used as enrichment for laboratory animals.

One enrichment strategy for laboratory animals is the provision of food variety and foraging opportunities. Fresh agricultural items, including produce or packaged human food items, provide variation in palatability, texture and complexity and can therefore be used as enrichment for lab animals. But concerns are often raised that these food items might sometimes carry contaminants that could affect research subjects and confound experimental results. The author discusses the potential for agriculturally sourced foods used as enrichment for lab animals to be contaminated with mycotoxins, microorganisms and pesticide residues and the effects these contaminants might have on lab animals. He also suggests strategies for reducing the risk of contamination.