Implement Hide and Carcass Survey to Verify Effectiveness of Slaughter Procedures and Carcass Interventions in Controlling E. coli  O157:H7

A study conducted in 12 beef slaughtering plants validated the feasibility of testing carcasses as an alternative to testing ground beef in production and distribution channels. The incidence of E. coli O157:H7 on carcasses was reduced by the slaughter process and application of microbial intervention steps.

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Objectives

To determine if a system could be identified to routinely verify slaughter plant interventions for controlling E. coli O157:H7 contamination on carcasses.

Conclusions

Escherichia coli O157:H7 was present on the surface of beef hides (3.56%) more frequently (P < .025) than on the surface of beef carcasses before application of decontamination interventions (0.44%), and least frequently (P < .025) on the surface of beef carcasses following application of decontamination interventions (0.00%) but before carcass chilling. Sampling 1 out of every 300 carcasses (using a surface sponging technique that accounts for approximately 2.5 times that amount of surface area on each carcass normally evaluated in routine generic Escherichia coli verification plans) on a national basis, would result in accumulation of over 120,000 total samples tested annually (fed beef plus market cow/bull carcasses)— a 19-fold increase in the number of samples tested per year compared to the current program and a substantial increase in total carcass surface area tested. Pathogen testing for purposes of verifying food safety system-control would prove more effective if utilized upstream in the production chain, as opposed to testing closer to the consumer, because carcasses testing positive for pathogens could be removed from commerce before reaching the consumer and appropriate corrective actions could be taken to regain system control.  A “carcass” processing step would appear to be a more appropriate testing point in the production system because carcasses have not yet been separated into hundreds of pieces which, should one of the carcass pieces be contaminated, subsequently also can contaminate cuts in which it comes into contact with downstream.

Deliverable

This industry survey provided useful data to further understand E. coli O157:H7 prevalence.