Evaluation of Methods for Identifying Poultry Wing Rinses With Salmonella Concentrations Greater Than or Equal to 10 CFU/mL.

In the United States, the Proposed Regulatory Framework to Reduce Salmonella Illnesses Attributable to Poultry published by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has highlighted the need for simple, rapid methods that identify poultry wing rinse samples harboring Salmonella concentrations ≥10 CFU/mL. One of eight cold-stressed and nutrient-starved Salmonella strains was inoculated into post-chill two-joint poultry wing rinses (48 turkey and 72 chicken) at levels from 0.22 to 3.

Proportions and Serogroups of Enterohemorrhagic Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli in Feces of Fed and Cull Beef and Cull Dairy Cattle at Harvest.

Cattle are considered a primary reservoir of Shiga toxin (stx)-producing Escherichia coli that cause enterohemorrhagic disease (EHEC), and contaminated beef products are one vehicle of transmission to humans. However, animals entering the beef harvest process originate from differing production systems: feedlots, dairies, and beef breeding herds. The objective of this study was to determine if fed cattle, cull dairy, and or cull beef cattle carry differing proportions and serogroups of EHEC at harvest.

Identifying a list of serotypes of concern to target for reducing risk of salmonellosis.

There is an increasing awareness in the field of epidemiology that focusing control efforts on those serotypes which cause severe human health outcomes, as opposed to broadly targeting all , will likely lead to the greatest advances in decreasing the incidence of salmonellosis. Yet, little guidance exists to support validated, scientific selection of target serotypes. The goal of this perspective is to develop an approach to identifying serotypes of greater concern and present a case study using meat- and poultry-attributed outbreaks to examine challenges in developing a standardized framework for defining target serotypes.

Validation of a New Method of Sampling Beef Manufacturing Trimmings for Pathogen Testing Using a Manual Sampling Mitt Approach.

The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service has declared Escherichia coli O157:H7, and six additional Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) are adulterants for nonintact raw beef products. The U.

Evaluation of Peracetic Acid Treatment on Beef Trimmings and Subprimals Against Salmonella and E. Coli O157:H7 Within Regulatory Retained Water Limitations.

The application of antimicrobial treatments to beef trimmings prior to grinding for the reduction of microbial contamination in ground beef has increased recently. However, raw single-ingredient meat products are not permitted by Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) to retain more than 0.49% water resulting from postevisceration processing.

Fate of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Salmonella during Kosher Processing of Fresh Beef.

Traditional kosher meat processing involves the following steps after slaughtering: soaking with water to remove blood, salting to help draw out more blood, and rinsing to remove salt. However, the impact of the salt used on foodborne pathogens and beef quality is not well understood. The objectives of the current study were to determine the effectiveness of salt in reducing pathogens in a pure culture model, on surfaces of inoculated fresh beef during kosher processing, and the effect of salt on beef quality.

Determination of Verification Parameters for Using the Manual Sampling Device for Fresh Raw Beef Trim.

Multifaceted food safety systems are used by the beef processing industry to minimize risk of bacterial contamination of the finished product. These systems are comprised of several parts including the conditional release of product requiring a sample to produce a negative result on a pathogen test prior to sending the product into the food supply. The methods of sample collection require verification activities that ensure the sampling protocols are performed adequately.

Efficacy of Short Thermal Treatment Time Against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on the Surface of Fresh Beef.

Thermal treatment interventions consistently provide effective pathogen reductions. However, the cost of maintaining high temperature of 95°C in order to raise the surface temperature of carcasses to 82°C is very expensive. Therefore, beef processors need to identify thermal application times and temperatures that optimize the treatment effects with less maintenance cost.

Genetic and phenotypic associations of mitochondrial DNA copy number, SNP, and haplogroups with growth and carcass traits in beef cattle.

Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA CN) is heritable and easily obtained from low-pass sequencing (LPS). This study investigated the genetic correlation of mtDNA CN with growth and carcass traits in a multi-breed and crossbred beef cattle population. Blood, leucocyte, and semen samples were obtained from 2,371 animals and subjected to LPS that resulted in nuclear DNA (nuDNA) and mtDNA sequence reads.

Evaluating the Shelf Life and Sensory Properties of Beef Steaks from Cattle Raised on Different Grass Feeding Systems in the Western United States.

Consumer interest in grass-fed beef has been steadily rising due to consumer perception of its potential benefits. This interest has led to a growing demand for niche market beef, particularly in the western United States. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of feeding systems on the change in microbial counts, color, and lipid oxidation of steaks during retail display, and on their sensory attributes.

Differences in carcass chilling rate underlie differences in sensory traits of pork chops from pigs with heavier carcass weights.

Pork hot carcass weights (HCW) have been increasing 0.6 kg per year, and if they continue to increase at this rate, they are projected to reach an average weight of 118 kg by the year 2050. This projection in weight is a concern for pork packers and processors given the challenges in product quality from heavier carcasses of broiler chickens.

Efficacy of Antimicrobial Interventions Used in Meat Processing Plants against Antimicrobial Tolerant Non-Antibiotic-Resistant and Antibiotic-Resistant Salmonella on Fresh Beef.

Abstract: Salmonella is a common cause of foodborne illness in the United States, and several strains of Salmonella have been identified as resistant to antibiotics. It is not known whether strains that are antibiotic resistant (ABR) and that have some tolerance to antimicrobial compounds are also able to resist the inactivation effects of antimicrobial interventions used in fresh meat processing. Sixty-eight Salmonella isolates (non-ABR and ABR strains) were treated with half concentrations of lactic acid (LA), peracetic acid (PAA), and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), which are used in beef processing plants to screen for tolerant strains.

A Farm-to-Fork Quantitative Microbial Exposure Assessment of β-Lactam-Resistant among U.S. Beef Consumers.

Integrated quantitative descriptions of the transmission of β-lactam-resistant (BR-EC) from commercial beef products to consumers are not available. Here, a quantitative microbial exposure assessment model was established to simulate the fate of BR-EC in a farm-to-fork continuum and provide an estimate of BR-EC exposure among beef consumers in the U.S.

Resistomes and microbiome of meat trimmings and colon content from culled cows raised in conventional and organic production systems.

Background: The potential to distribute bacteria resistant to antimicrobial drugs in the meat supply is a public health concern. Market cows make up a fifth of the U.S.

Meat tenderness: advances in biology, biochemistry, molecular mechanisms and new technologies.

Meat tenderness is an important quality trait critical to consumer acceptance, and determines satisfaction, repeat purchase and willingness-to-pay premium prices. Recent advances in tenderness research from a variety of perspectives are presented. Our understanding of molecular factors influencing tenderization are discussed in relation to glycolysis, calcium release, protease activation, apoptosis and heat shock proteins, the use of proteomic analysis for monitoring changes, proteomic biomarkers and oxidative/nitrosative stress.

Twenty-Four-Month Longitudinal Study Suggests Little to No Horizontal Gene Transfer In Situ between Third-Generation Cephalosporin-Resistant Salmonella and Third-Generation Cephalosporin-Resistant Escherichia coli in a Beef Cattle Feedyard.

Abstract: Third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs) are preferred treatments for serious human Salmonella enterica infections. Beef cattle are suspected to contribute to human 3GC-resistant Salmonella infections. Commensal 3GC-resistant Escherichia coli are thought to act as reservoirs of 3GC resistance because these strains are isolated more frequently than are 3GC-resistant Salmonella strains at beef cattle feedyards.

Antimicrobial Resistance in U.S. Retail Ground Beef with and without Label Claims Regarding Antibiotic Use.

Abstract: Antibiotics used during food animal production account for approximately 77% of U.S. antimicrobial consumption by mass.

A Comparative Quantitative Assessment of Human Exposure to Various Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria among U.S. Ground Beef Consumers.

Abstract: Consumption of animal-derived meat products is suspected as an important exposure route to antimicrobial resistance, as the presence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) along the beef supply chain is well documented. A retail-to-fork quantitative exposure assessment was established to compare consumers' exposure to various ARB due to the consumption of ground beef with and without "raised without antibiotics" claims and to inform potential exposure mitigation strategies related to consumer practices. The microbial agents evaluated included Escherichia coli, tetracycline-resistant (TETr) E.

Metagenomic Characterization of the Microbiome and Resistome of Retail Ground Beef Products.

Ground beef can be a reservoir for a variety of bacteria, including spoilage organisms, and pathogenic foodborne bacteria. These bacteria can exhibit antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which is a public health concern if resistance in pathogens leads to treatment failure in humans. Culture-dependent techniques are commonly used to study individual bacterial species, but these techniques are unable to describe the whole community of microbial species (microbiome) and the profile of AMR genes they carry (resistome), which is critical for getting a holistic perspective of AMR.

Validation of Additional Approaches and Applications for Using the Continuous and Manual Sampling Devices for Raw Beef Trim.

Abstract: In this work, the goal was to determine the efficacy of MicroTally-based sampling in scenarios commonly encountered in the commercial beef processing industry, but outside of the parameters evaluated during the initial proof-of-concept work. The data were derived from 1,650 matched samples collected from 540 individual combo bins at six commercial beef processing plants, comparing MicroTally-based sampling (continuous and manual sampling devices [CSD and MSD]) to N60 Excision and/or N60 Plus methods. Mounting a 61-cm CSD cartridge to a 30-cm-wide conveyor provided sampling that is equivalent to N60 Excision and N60 Plus methods.

Consecutive Treatments with a Multicomponent Sanitizer Inactivate Biofilms Formed by Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica and Remove Biofilm Matrix.

Abstract: Many foodborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica, can develop biofilms on contact surfaces at meat processing plants. Owing to the high tolerance of the biofilm cells associated with the three-dimensional biofilm structure and the well-expressed bacterial extracellular polymeric substances, it is a real challenge to completely inactivate and remove mature biofilms, as well as further prevent biofilm reoccurrence and pathogen survival. In the present study, we evaluated the effectiveness of consecutive treatments (10 to 120 min per treatment) by repeatedly applying a multicomponent sanitizer, based on a functional mechanism by synergistic combination of hydrogen peroxide and quaternary ammonia compounds, against biofilms formed by E.

Seasonal Prevalence of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli on Pork Carcasses for Three Steps of the Harvest Process at Two Commercial Processing Plants in the United States.

Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) is a foodborne pathogen that has a significant impact on public health, with strains possessing the attachment factor intimin referred to as enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) and associated with life-threatening illnesses. Cattle and beef are considered typical sources of STEC, but their presence in pork products is a growing concern. Therefore, carcasses ( = 1,536) at two U.

No Change in Risk for Antibiotic-Resistant Salmonellosis from Beef, United States, 2002-2010.

Restricting antibiotic use in food production animals is a target for reducing antimicrobial drug-resistant infections in humans. We used US surveillance data to estimate the probability of antibiotic-resistant nontyphoidal salmonellosis per meal made with beef during 2002-2010. Applying data for nontyphoidal Salmonella in raised-without-antibiotics cattle, we tested the effect of removing antibiotic use from all beef cattle production.

Antimicrobial Resistance at Two U.S. Cull Cow Processing Establishments.

Abstract: Culled beef cows (cows that have reached the end of their productive life span in cow-calf operations) and culled dairy cows represent approximately 18% of the cattle harvested in the United States annually, but data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in these cull cattle are extremely limited. To address this data gap, colon contents were obtained from 180 culled conventional beef cows, 179 culled conventional dairy cows, and 176 culled organic dairy cows (produced without using antimicrobials). Sponge samples were also collected from 181 conventional beef, 173 conventional dairy, and 180 organic dairy cow carcasses.

Effects of space allowance and marketing strategy on growth performance of pigs raised to 165 kg.

A total of 976 pigs (PIC 327 × Camborough; PIC, Hendersonville, TN; initially 22.0 ± 1.53 kg body weight [BW]) were used in a 160-d growth study to evaluate the effects of increasing space allowance and varying marketing strategies on growth performance of pigs raised to market weights of ~165 kg.