Predictive modeling of thermal inactivation of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in ground beef with varying fat contents.

A mathematical model to predict the thermal inactivation of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in ground beef was developed, with temperature and fat content of ground beef as controlling factors. Survival curves for a cocktail of non-O157 STEC strains in ground beef at four temperatures (55, 60, 65, and 68 °C) and six fat levels (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30%) were generated. Nine primary models-log-linear, log-linear with tail, biphasic, sigmoidal, four-factor sigmoidal, Baranyi, Weibull, mixed Weibull, and Gompertz-were tested for fitting the survival curves.

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Salmonella from Antibiotic-Free Broilers During Organic and Conventional Processing.

Abstract: Salmonella is one of the top causes for bacterial foodborne infections in the United States, emphasizing the importance of controlling this pathogen for protecting public health. Poultry and poultry products are commonly associated with Salmonella, and interventions during production and processing are necessary to manage the risk of infection due to consumption of poultry products. In recent times, the demand for organic and antibiotic-free poultry has increased owing to consumer perceptions and concerns of increasing prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) pathogens.

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter from antibiotic-free broilers during organic and conventional processing.

Campylobacter is one of the leading cause of foodborne illness in the US and worldwide, especially linked to poultry and poultry products. In recent years, the increasing popularity of organic chicken products and chickens raised without antibiotics (RWA) has resulted in more companies adopting organic and antibiotic-free production and processing methods; however, it is not evident what effect these practices have on pathogens such as Campylobacter. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of RWA and organic methods on the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Campylobacter.

Prevalence, Persistence, and Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter spp. from Eggs and Laying Hens Housed in Five Commercial Housing Systems.

Husbandry practices for laying hens in commercial egg production is a topic of interest from a social, economic, and regulatory standpoint. Animal welfare concerns regarding the use of conventional cages have arisen and consumer perceptions of hen welfare have led to a higher demand for cage-free eggs. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of housing systems on prevalence, persistence, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Campylobacter from laying hens and shell eggs.

Thermal Inactivation of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Ground Beef with Varying Fat Content.

Decimal reduction time ( D-value) was calculated for six non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in a laboratory medium and ground beef. For the laboratory medium, an overnight culture of each strain of STEC was divided into 10-mL sample bags and heated in a water bath for a specific time on the basis of the temperatures. Survival curves were generated by plotting the surviving bacterial population against time, and a linear-log primary model was used to estimate the D-values from survival curves.

Egg Safety in the Realm of Preharvest Food Safety.

Eggs are nutritious, yet they are a highly perishable commodity like other protein sources such as meat. Even though steps are taken all along the production process of shell eggs, from farm to table, the potential for contamination of the shells and egg contents poses a high risk to consumers. The main sources of contamination can be categorized as vertical transmission, in which the layers can be carriers of pathogens and can pass them on during egg formation, and horizontal transmission, in which environmental factors such as water, feed, layer houses, and personnel are the main source of contamination.