7 - Controlling microbial contamination on the farm: an overview

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of controlling microbial contamination on the farm. Several potential pre-harvest intervention strategies have been identified, but certain factors may limit their on-farm implementation. The chapter presents a summary of the interventions that have been the focus of most research studies. Some interventions may be cost-prohibitive because of the actual cost of the intervention or indirect costs associated with decreases in animal performance or health, required changes in equipment or physical facilities, and labor and time intensiveness. Currently, certain proposed intervention strategies will require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval before they can be used commercially in food animals. More information is needed regarding the effectiveness of proposed intervention strategies in decreasing Escherichia coli O157 in cattle and their environment and the effect this reduction in cattle may have on the risk of human illness. Several research needs in the area of pre-harvest food safety exist, including: impact of transportation on fecal shedding; interventions at transportation (clean trucks); hide interventions and cross-contamination of hides; impact of multi-hurdle interventions in the feedlot on reduction of food-borne pathogens; standardization of sampling techniques for fecal sampling and hide sampling; standardization of methods to detect E. coli O157; and development of cost-effective methods to enumerate E. coli O157 in cattle feces.