A Retailer's Experience with the Oregon Bacterial Standards for Meat

Abstract

The Oregon retail food industry's experience with bacterial regulations on meats serves as the basis for questioning: (a) the effectiveness of such an approach in reducing public health hazards; (b) the technical feasibility of such standards in relation to current practices of the entire meat industry (including packer, breaker, and distributor); and (c) the feasibility of administering such a regulation in an effective compliance program. As recounted herein, specific compliance programs instituted by Safeway Stores, Inc. have reduced the percentage of lots of ground beef exceeding Oregon Escherichia coli standards from 50% to about 30%. Oregon arrest and conviction records seem to indicate the industry is not currently able to meet the state's standards consistently and that the courts may not be entirely convinced of the validity and/or significance of the charges. Inability of current procedures to inform store managers of E. coli counts before sale of product, presence of E. coli on carcasses at time of receipt at breaking plants, and the inherent variability of the MPN technique are cited as weaknesses of the enforcement program.