Reduce Foodborne Pathogens Research Articles

Food safety knowledge and behaviors of women, infant, and children (WIC) program participants in the United States.

Although the incidence of foodborne illnesses has declined, thousands of cases are still reported in the United States. In conjunction with industry efforts to reduce foodborne pathogens, consumers play an important role in decreasing foodborne illnesses. To assess food safety knowledge and food handling behaviors of low-income, high-risk populations, a study was conducted with participants of the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). A survey was conducted with 1,598 clients from 87 WIC agencies nationwide. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analyses, t tests, and analyses of variance were calculated. A majority of respondents received food safety information from WIC (78.7%), family (63.1%), and television (60.7%). Most respondents recognized the necessity for washing and sanitizing cutting boards and utensils (94.3%), but only 66.1% knew the correct ways to sanitize. Using a thermometer to ensure doneness of meat was least recognized (23.7%) and used by even fewer respondents (7.7%). The majority (77.4%) used color of meat and/or juices when checking the doneness of ground beef items. Over half of the respondents (58.4%) used acceptable thawing methods, but many thawed frozen meats on the counter (21.0%) or in a sink filled with water (20.6%). There were significant differences in thawing methods, overall knowledge scores, and overall behavior scores among different racial and ethnic groups. White respondents had higher knowledge scores than did Hispanics, and blacks had lower behavior scores than did individuals in the other racial and ethnic groups. Results of the study suggested the need for food safety education for low-income consumers and different messages to be delivered to specific demographic groups.

Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria Associated with Food Animals: A United States Perspective of Livestock Production

The use of antimicrobial compounds in food animal production provides demonstrated benefits, including improved animal health, higher production and, in some cases, reduction in foodborne pathogens. However, use of antibiotics for agricultural purposes, particularly for growth enhancement, has come under much scrutiny, as it has been shown to contribute to the increased prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria of human significance. The transfer of antibiotic resistance genes and selection for resistant bacteria can occur through a variety of mechanisms, which may not always be linked to specific antibiotic use. Prevalence data may provide some perspective on occurrence and changes in resistance over time; however, the reasons are diverse and complex. Much consideration has been given this issue on both domestic and international fronts, and various countries have enacted or are considering tighter restrictions or bans on some types of antibiotic use in food animal production. In some cases, banning the use of growth-promoting antibiotics appears to have resulted in decreases in prevalence of some drug resistant bacteria; however, subsequent increases in animal morbidity and mortality, particularly in young animals, have sometimes resulted in higher use of therapeutic antibiotics, which often come from drug families of greater relevance to human medicine. While it is clear that use of antibiotics can over time result in significant pools of resistance genes among bacteria, including human pathogens, the risk posed to humans by resistant organisms from farms and livestock has not been clearly defined. As livestock producers, animal health experts, the medical community, and government agencies consider effective strategies for control, it is critical that science-based information provide the basis for such considerations, and that the risks, benefits, and feasibility of such strategies are fully considered, so that human and animal health can be maintained while at the same time limiting the risks from antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

FDA Expands Medical Product Safety Program; Industry Criticizes Draft Guidance for Regulating Multivariate Index Assays; Congress Makes Another Attempt to Pass a Genetic Nondiscrimination Bill; USDA Approves Bacteriophage Product; Farewell to Paper?; FDA Approves Drug for Fat Dogs; FDA Approves Suture Made by Genetically Engineered Bacteria; Pharmacogenomics Products May Have Better Chance Than New Drug at FDA

Biotechnology Law ReportVol. 26, No. 2 Regulatory Affairs—PharmaceuticalFDA Expands Medical Product Safety Program; Industry Criticizes Draft Guidance for Regulating Multivariate Index Assays; Congress Makes Another Attempt to Pass a Genetic Nondiscrimination Bill; USDA Approves Bacteriophage Product; Farewell to Paper?; FDA Approves Drug for Fat Dogs; FDA Approves Suture Made by Genetically Engineered Bacteria; Pharmacogenomics Products May Have Better Chance Than New Drug at FDAPublished Online:30 Apr 2007https://doi.org/10.1089/blr.2007.9969AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byUse of Bacteriophages to Control Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Domestic Ruminants, Meat Products, and Fruits and Vegetables Lili Wang, Kunli Qu, Xiaoyu Li, Zhenhui Cao, Xitao Wang, Zhen Li, Yaxiong Song, and Yongping Xu1 September 2017 | Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, Vol. 14, No. 9Phage-based biocontrol strategies to reduce foodborne pathogens in foods22 October 2014 | Bacteriophage, Vol. 1, No. 3 Volume 26Issue 2Apr 2007 InformationMary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:FDA Expands Medical Product Safety Program; Industry Criticizes Draft Guidance for Regulating Multivariate Index Assays; Congress Makes Another Attempt to Pass a Genetic Nondiscrimination Bill; USDA Approves Bacteriophage Product; Farewell to Paper?; FDA Approves Drug for Fat Dogs; FDA Approves Suture Made by Genetically Engineered Bacteria; Pharmacogenomics Products May Have Better Chance Than New Drug at FDA.Biotechnology Law Report.Apr 2007.121-123.http://doi.org/10.1089/blr.2007.9969Published in Volume: 26 Issue 2: April 30, 2007PDF download

Fecal Prevalence ofEscherichia coliO157,Salmonella, Listeria,and Bacteriophage InfectingE. coliO157:H7 in Feedlot Cattle in the Southern Plains Region of the United States

Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria are foodborne pathogens of critical importance that often colonize cattle. E. coli O157:H7 can be specifically killed by lytic bacteriophage, and lytic bacteriophage treatment has been suggested as a pre-harvest intervention strategy to reduce foodborne pathogens in cattle. To date, no systematic approach to determine the incidence of E. coli O157:H7-infecting lytic bacteriophage has been published. Therefore, the current study was designed to determine (1) the incidence of E. coli O157, Salmonella spp., and Listeria and (2) the incidence of E. coli O157:H7-infecting bacteriophage in the feces of feedlot steers in commercial feedlots in the United States. Fecal samples (n=60) were collected from four feedlots in two Southern Great Plains states (total (n=240 fecal samples). Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 were found in 3.8% and 11.7% of the fecal samples, respectively. Bacteriophage targeting E. coli O157:H7 were found in all four feedlots, in 15% of the individual fecal samples, and in 55% of the cattle pens. Our results indicate that such bacteriophage are widespread in feedlot cattle, suggesting that further research into the ecological role of bacteriophage in the gastrointestinal tract is needed.

Validation of the Use of Organic Acids and Acidified Sodium Chlorite To Reduce Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella Typhimurium in Beef Trim and Ground Beef in a Simulated Processing Environment

A study was conducted to determine if acidified sodium chlorite (1,200 ppm) and acetic and lactic acids (2 and 4%) were effective in reducing foodborne pathogens in beef trim prior to grinding in a simulated processing environment. The reduction of Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 at high (4.0 log CFU/g) and low (1.0 log CFU/g) inoculation doses was evaluated at various processing steps, including the following: (i) in trim just after treatment application, (ii) in ground beef just after grinding, (iii) in ground beef 24 h after refrigerated storage, (iv) in ground beef 5 days after refrigerated storage, and (v) in ground beef 30 days after frozen storage. All antimicrobial treatments reduced the pathogens on the trim inoculated with the lower inoculation dose to nondetectable numbers in the trim and in the ground beef. There were significant reductions of both pathogens in the trim and in the ground beef inoculated with the high inoculation doses. On the trim itself, E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium were reduced by 1.5 to 2.0 log cycles, with no differences among all treatments. In the ground beef, the organic acids were more effective in reducing both pathogens than the acidified sodium chlorite immediately after grinding, but after 1 day of storage, there were no differences among treatments. Overall, in the ground beef, there was a 2.5-log reduction of E. coli O157:H7 and a 1.5-log reduction of Salmonella Typhimurium that was sustained over time in refrigerated and frozen storage. Very few sensory differences between the control samples and the treated samples were detected by a consumer panel. Thus, antimicrobial treatments did not cause serious adverse sensory changes. Use of these antimicrobial treatments can be a promising intervention available to ground beef processors who currently have few interventions in their process.

Efficacy of Electrolyzed Oxidizing Water in Inactivating Salmonella on Alfalfa Seeds and Sprouts

Studies have demonstrated that electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water is effective in reducing foodborne pathogens on fresh produce. This study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of EO water and two different forms of chlorinated water (chlorine water from Cl2 and Ca(OCl)2 as sources of chlorine) in inactivating Salmonella on alfalfa seeds and sprouts. Tengram sets of alfalfa seeds inoculated with a five-strain cocktail of Salmonella (6.3 × 104 CFU/g) were subjected to 90 ml of deionized water (control), EO water (84 mg/liter of active chlorine), chlorine water (84 mg/liter of active chlorine), and Ca(OCl)2 solutions at 90 and 20,000 mg/liter of active chlorine for 10 min at 24 ± 2°C. The application of EO water, chlorinated water, and 90 mg/liter of Ca(OCl)2 to alfalfa seeds for 10 min reduced initial populations of Salmonella by at least 1.5 log10 CFU/g. For seed sprouting, alfalfa seeds were soaked in the different treatment solutions described above for 3 h. Ca(OCl)2 (20,000 mg/liter of active chlorine) was the most effective treatment in reducing the populations of Salmonella and non-Salmonella microflora (4.6 and 7.0 log10 CFU/g, respectively). However, the use of high concentrations of chlorine generates worker safety concerns. Also, the Ca(OCl)2 treatment significantly reduced seed germination rates (70% versus 90 to 96%). For alfalfa sprouts, higher bacterial populations were recovered from treated sprouts containing seed coats than from sprouts with seed coats removed. The effectiveness of EO water improved when soaking treatments were applied to sprouts in conjunction with sonication and seed coat removal. The combined treatment achieved 2.3- and 1.5-log10 CFU/g greater reductions than EO water alone in populations of Salmonella and non-Salmonella microflora, respectively. This combination treatment resulted in a 3.3-log10 CFU/g greater reduction in Salmonella populations than the control (deionized water) treatment.

Effect of Sodium Chlorate on Salmonella Typhimurium Concentrations in the Weaned Pig Gut

Salmonella cause economic losses to the swine industry due to disease and compromised food safety. Since the gut is a major reservoir for Salmonella, strategies are sought to reduce their concentration in pigs immediately before processing. Respiratory nitrate reductase activity possessed by Salmonella also catalyzes the intracellular reduction of chlorate (an analog of nitrate) to chlorite, which is lethal to the microbe. Since most gastrointestinal anaerobes lack respiratory nitrate reductase, we conducted a study to determine if chlorate may selectively kill Salmonella within the pig gut. Weaned pigs orally infected with 8 × 107 CFU of a novobiocin- and nalidixic acid–resistant strain of Salmonella Typhimurium were treated 8 and 16 h later via oral gavage (10 ml) with 0 or 100mM sodium chlorate. Pigs were euthanized at 8-h intervals after receiving the last treatment. Samples collected by necropsy were cultured qualitatively and quantitatively for Salmonella and for most probable numbers of total culturable anaerobes. A significant (P < 0.05) chlorate treatment effect was observed on cecal concentrations of Salmonella, with the largest reductions occurring 16 h after receiving the last chlorate treatment. An observed treatment by time after treatment interaction suggests the chlorate effect was concentration dependent. Chlorate treatment may provide a means to reduce foodborne pathogens immediately before harvest.

Stimulation of Starter Culture for Further Reduction of Foodborne Pathogens during Salami Fermentation

This study was conducted to determine if stimulated meat starter culture (MSC; Pediococcus acidilactici) would further control Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus during salami fermentation. Manganese ion (0.005% of MnSO4) was used as a stimulator for the growth and acid production of MSC. After 24-h salami fermentation, nonstimulated MSC and stimulated MSC reduced E. coli O157:H7 levels by 1.3 and 2.3 log10 units, respectively. Nonstimulated MSC reduced L. monocytogenes levels by 1.2 log10 units, whereas the stimulated MSC achieved a 2.2-log10 reduction after 24-h fermentation. In the case of S. aureus, nonstimulated MSC and stimulated MSC reduced S. aureus levels by 1.3 and 2.3 log10 units after 24-h fermentation, respectively. Stimulated MSC by MnSO4 reduced those foodborne pathogens more effectively compared with nonstimulated MSC (P < 0.05).

Poultry meat and food safety: pre- and post-harvest approaches to reduce foodborne pathogens

Poultry and poultry products have repeatedly been implicated as a source of foodborne infection for humans. The significant increase in the number of reported foodborne disease outbreaks worldwide has altered opinions on food safety. It has become clear that current legislation alone is inadequate, and that industry must accept a greater share of responsibility for the quality and safety of the food it produces. The fact that processing plants are not able to reduce the incidence of pathogenic bacteria effectively in poultry products means that every effort must be made to reduce infection in and/or contamination of the live birds with foodborne pathogens before dispatch to processing plants. The main control strategy should include the following: cleaning the production pyramid from the top, as in the case of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium, by destroying infected flocks (with compensation), sanitising hatching eggs and limiting the introduction and spread of pathogens at the farm through Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHPs). To achieve GAHPs, effective measures of hygiene should be applied to poultry houses and the feed. Reducing salmonella colonisation by using antimicrobial feed additives, competitive exclusion treatment or vaccines is worth consideration. Furthermore, hygienic systems for catching and transporting live poultry must be included. To reduce carcass contamination during processing, thorough schedules for cleaning and disinfection of the equipment and plant are essential. Machine design must permit easy and thorough cleaning. Because the success of any food safety programme on the farm and in the processing plant depends on the hygiene practices of the staff, it is essential to incorporate education programmes for all people involved in the poultry production chain. In the farm-to-fork concept, post-processing food handling is also a very important factor in reducing foodborne infections. Finally, the development and application of acceptable methods for end product decontamination and preservation in the processing plant must be pursued.

Evaluation of potential disinfectants for preslaughter broiler crop decontamination

The broiler crop has recently been implicated as a major source of Salmonella contamination at commercial processing. Furthermore, feed withdrawal has been positively correlated with increased Salmonella incidence in the crop, probably due to coprophagy. In the present study, a rapid screening assay was developed to evaluate several potential disinfectants in the presence of large quantities of organic matter, simulating the crop environment. An apparent synergistic combination of d-Limonene (DL) and citric acid (CA) was observed when evaluating the potential to eliminate Salmonella in the presence of organic material. A method of encapsulation of DL and CA was developed for voluntary consumption by broilers during feed withdrawal. During an 8-h feed withdrawal individual 8-wk-old broilers voluntarily consumed an average of 21.5 capsules (total of 3.44 g material). When eight capsules were force-administered to Salmonella-challenged 8-wk-old broilers during an abbreviated 4 h feed withdrawal, Salmonella was not recovered using selective enrichment. To evaluate the effect of voluntary capsule consumption, 8-wk-old broilers were challenged with 1 x 108 cfu of Salmonella 5 d prior to an 8 h feed withdrawal. When these broilers were allowed unlimited continuous access to capsules containing DL/CA during an 8 h feed withdrawal, 24.8 capsules per broiler were ingested without affecting Salmonella recovery from crops. When access to capsules containing DL/CA was limited to the final 45 min of an 8 h feed withdrawal in a similar experiment, an average of 22.2 capsules were consumed by each broiler, resulting in a significant decrease in the number of Salmonella-positive crops. Although a number of practical questions and considerations remain, these data suggest that appropriate disinfectants could be administered during preslaughter feed withdrawal for the purpose of reducing foodborne pathogens in crops.

Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet)

In order to collect more accurate data on the incidence and causes of foodborne diseases the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began a collaborative effort with state and local health departments in July of 1995 known as the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet). Under FoodNet, the FSIS, CDC, and FDA, along with health departments in California, Oregon, Minnesota, Georgia, Connecticut, Maryland, and New York have formed a direct working link to monitor the yearly incidence of foodborne illness and develop a network to respond to emerging foodborne diseases. Data is collected through population-based surveys, laboratory surveys, physician surveys, and case-control studies. These studies aim to identify pathogens responsible for foodborne illnesses, to determine behaviors related to food handling and pathogen exposure, and to identify health care practices related to diarrheal diseases. FoodNet completed its first year of data collection the end of 1996 and all data at this time is preliminary. FoodNet found 7,322 laboratory-confirmed diarrheal cases, from a population of 13.2 million, attributable to the 7 bacterial pathogens targeted. Of those cases, 45.9 percent were attributed to Campylobacter. Salmonella was identified in 28.3 percent, Shigella in 17.4 percent, E. coli O157:H7 in 5.3 percent, Yersinia in 2 percent, Listeria in 0.9 percent, and Vibrio in 0.5 percent. FSIS will use the FoodNet data to evaluate the effectiveness of new food safety programs and regulations in reducing foodborne pathogens on meat and poultry.

The risks and prevention of contamination of beef feedlot cattle: the perspective of the United States of America

There are currently no scientifically defined critical management points or critical control points to manage foodborne pathogens at the pre-harvest level. Research is ongoing: much of the pre-harvest research is funded by producer organisations. The beef industry has Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) programmes in place and these are dynamic. Groups of cattlemen have made a very strong commitment to reducing foodborne pathogens in beef. Fewer Escherichia coli O157:H7 organisms are shed by feedlot cattle near the end of the feeding period than by newly arrived cattle. Moreover, there is less shedding of the organisms in cattle of slaughter age than in younger cattle. The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in feedlot cattle is similar to that in range cattle. This suggests that concentrating cattle in feedlot dirt pens does not increase the risk of shedding E. coli organisms. Pen maintenance, considered a good management practice, appears to be an adequate means of keeping pathogen levels in pens low. It is not likely that pre-harvest food safety programmes will eliminate the threat of pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella. The management of foodborne pathogens will become part of an integrated programme to enhance food safety which includes the producer, the packer, the distributors, retailers and the consumer. The feedlot industry initiated a residue avoidance programme several years ago. As a result, the risk of chemical residues in beef from feedlots in the United States of America is near zero. Hazard analysis and critical control point-type prevention programmes, using scientifically based critical management points, will help ensure that the risk remains negligible.

Strategies for Communicating the Facts on Food Irradiation to Consumers

The majority of consumers will respond positively to irradiated foods when the advantages of the process are explained and when safety, nutritional value, and worker and environmental concerns are addressed. Communication strategies involve identifying the audience, selecting the communication medium, presenting the benefits of the process, and addressing myths. The most significant public-health benefit of irradiation is the reduction of food-borne pathogens. Irradiation should be described in lay terms and presented as an additional step which enhances microbiological safety. Nutritional safety and environmental myths must be addressed. Multimedia presentations utilizing the popular press are most effective. Since health authorities are the most credible spokespersons, opportunities for information exchange between health officials and community leaders should be developed. Consumer resources are listed.

Public Health Aspects of Food Irradiation

In view of the enormous health and economic consequences of foodborne diseases, the World Health Organization (WHO) encourages its Member States to consider all measures to eliminate or reduce foodborne pathogens in food and improve their supplies of safe and nutritious food. With the wholesomeness of irradiated food clearly established by extensive scientific studies, food irradiation has important roles to play in both ensuring food safety and reducing food losses. Food irradiation may be one of the most significant contributions to public health to be made by food science and technology since the introduction of pasteurization. Because the promotion of a safe, nutritious and adequate food supply is an essential component of its primary health care strategy, WHO is concerned that the unwarranted rejection of this process may endanger public health and deprive consumers of the choice of food processed for safety.