2 July 2008

2 minute read

North America

Following a 1993 outbreak, the USMARC scientists launched a massive investigation into E. coli O157:H7. Their work has had major benefits for both producers and consumers of U.S. beef. One important finding was that the principal source of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef is a cow’s hide.

Acting research leader Tommy Wheeler records a cow’s identification number while food technologist Steven Shackelford uses a moist sponge to obtain a microbe sample from the cow’s hide.

“At the time, most intervention efforts were focused on eliminating E. coli O157:H7 from feces,” says former USMARC director Mohammad Koohmaraie. “Our findings led to a paradigm shift that enabled us to develop hidetargeted intervention techniques to reduce and eliminate pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 and other dangerous microorganisms from the ground beef supply.”

One of the most successful techniques developed at USMARC is a chemical hidewashing system that saves the U.S. beef industry millions of dollars every year. A high-pressure water wash removes excess organic matter from cattle hides, which are then sprayed with an antibacterial compound.

An estimated 40 percent of U.S. feedlot-raised beef cattle undergo the washing treatment, Koohmaraie says. By targeting hides, the technology has reduced the national incidence of E. coli O157:H7-positive ground beef samples by 43.3 percent.

“We have had no problems this year at any of the facilities that use the hide-wash system,” says Timothy P. Biela, chief food safety officer of American Fresh Foods and American Foodservice. The two partner corporations produce more than 350 million pounds of ground beef every year for supermarkets, commercial fastfood outlets, and casual dining. They sample the products every 20 minutes to test for E. coli O157:H7 and conduct more than 15,000 additional tests each year for other pathogens.

So how does hide washing measure up? “It’s incredibly effective,” Biela reports. “It’s almost unbelievable.”

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