Ongoing Research

 

Using Bioluminescent Salmonella to Identify Infection Sites Contributing to Contamination of Ground Turkey Meat

Update on Tuesday, September 1, 2015

This research will explore the concept of "internalized" Salmonella contamination in ground poultry components and the role of lymphoid tissue as harborage sites for this pathogen.

The dynamics of Salmonella infection in cattle and their peripheral lymph nodes

Update on Tuesday, September 1, 2015

This research intends to develop a reliable and quantitative method that can measure the impact of interventions designed to reduce the carriage of Salmonella in peripheral lymph nodes of cattle.

Funded in part by The Beef Checkoff

Validation of lethality and stabilization processes for products with slow come up time: bacon and bone-in ham

Update on Tuesday, September 1, 2015

The project is designed to provide a better understanding and address the lack of scientifically-supported tools available to the industry to define lethal cooking processes and establish validated regulatory compliance for different ready-to-eat meat products.  

Hide-on Carcass Wash System with Thermal/Chemical Dehairing and Mechanical Scraping

Update on Tuesday, April 1, 2014

This project will evaluate the effectiveness of partial dehairing from various solutions and mechanical scraping as a hide-on carcass intervention to reduce Salmonella and E. coli.

Enumeration of Salmonella enterica in meat samples with Droplet Digital PCR

Update on Tuesday, April 1, 2014

This project will demonstrate the sensitivity and specificity of droplet digital PCR as an enumeration assay for Salmonella enterica in pure culture and in mixed microflora cultures as well as inoculated ground beef of different fat contents

Determination of the prevalence of resistance to biocides in Salmonella and identification of the genetic mechanisms of resistance

Update on Tuesday, April 1, 2014

This project will determine if food animal isolates of the top ten Salmonella serovars associated with human infections are resistant to chemical antimicrobial interventions used in processing. The resistance elements associated with human infections will be compared to those found in animals to determine if some chemical interventions used during processing may be selecting for the serovars that most often cause human infections
Evaluation of Control Strategies for Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Deli Environments with Evidence of High Prevalence

Update on Tuesday, May 1, 2012

The project will evaluate control strategies for Listeria monocytogenes in retail delis identified as having a higher risk of L. monocytogenes prevalence and persistence. Project is co-sponsored by the Food Marketing Institute Foundation.
Role of Protozoa in the Persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in a Ready-to-Eat Poultry Processing Plant

Update on Tuesday, November 1, 2011

This research will determine if bacterivorous protozoa contribute to shaping bacterial communities in food processing plants and influence the survival of Listeria monocytogenes in floor drains. The proposed project is designed to identify Listeria-lytic protozoa and isolate them for further research in the use of naturally decontaminating floor drains.