April 20, 2006
Written by Cory Chandler
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2006
CONTACT: Cory Chandler, (806) 742-2136, or cory.chandler@ttu.edu
NEW TREATMENT ADDS TO SERIES OF INTERVENTIONS AIMED AT
REDUCING FOODBORNE PATHOGENS
Mixtures Nearly Eliminate Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in Beef and Poultry
LUBBOCK, Texas – A mixture of lactic acid bacteria shown to reduce foodborne pathogens
such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in processed beef and poultry by as much as
99.99 percent has passed GRAS (or generally recognized as safe) status review by the
Food and Drug Administration.
The mixture, to be sold under the name Bovamine Meat Cultures ™, is one of the few
post-production treatments available that protects meat and poultry during long-term
storage. Administered during the processing phase, it works with other interventions
throughout the beef production chain to provide an added layer of protection for consumers.
The treatment was developed through Texas Tech University and is available through
Indianapolis-based Nutrition Physiology Corp. Research was funded by the Beef Checkoff
Program, the Texas Beef Council and Nutrition Physiology Corp.
“Illness rates associated with E. coli O157:H7 have declined steadily over the past
ten years. Each sector of the beef production chain has developed and implemented
best practices aimed at reducing foodborne bacteria and this lactic acid mixture is
another great example,” said Mike Engler, Ph.D., Joint Beef Safety Research Committee
chairman and Texas beef producer. “It is through the efforts of a united industry,
sharing these data and best practices, that we have been able to attack illnesses
attributed to pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 and reduce their occurrence.”
The development of the mixture of lactic acid bacteria was led by Dr. Mindy Brashears,
associate professor and director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence
at Texas Tech. Tested under conditions simulating meat storage and transfer to and
from supermarkets, the product was found to reduce Salmonella by 99.9 percent and
E. coli O157:H7 by 99 percent. In addition, the cultures were put through a battery
of both subjective and objective taste tests and were shown to have no impact on flavor.
“Lactic acid bacteria are considered good bacteria in that they have a lot of benefits,”
Brashears said. “They are used to make several products like cheese, yogurt and sausages.
They have a place in nature and they compete with other bacteria by producing compounds
that kill the other bacteria. That is where the concept of using these bacteria to
actually reduce foodborne pathogens came from. It is not a new concept, but some of
the applications we have developed are unique.”
Meat and poultry products containing this mixture will be labeled to reflect the lactic
acid cultures used to reduce foodborne pathogens. A link to the FDA’s letter can be
found at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~rdb/opa-g171.html
America’s beef producers have invested more than $22 million in beef safety research
and development of methods aimed at reducing foodborne bacteria since 1993. “We are
committed to implementing the best practices for reduction and elimination of pathogens
such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, and will continue to work with other sectors
of the industry to meet our goals,” said Engler.
This research was published in the “Journal of Food Protection.”
E.coli O157:H7 is a virulent form of the bacteria that can cause diarrhea and, in
some cases, kidney failure. Salmonella can cause food poisoning, typhoid, and paratyphoid
fever in humans.
Other links:
http://www.asft.ttu.edu/faculty/brashears.html
http://www.bifsco.org/
http://www.txbeef.org/
CONTACT:
Dr. Mindy Brashears, director, International Center for Food Industry Excellence,
Texas Tech University, (806) 441-3214, (806) 742-2805, ext. 235, or mindy.brashears@ttu.edu.
Michele Murray, director, Beef Safety Public Relations, National Cattlemen’s Beef
Association, (303) 694-0305, mpmurray@beef.org.
Erin Kerley, senior manager of communications, Texas Beef Council, (512) 335-8663,
ext. 300, or erink@txbeef.org.
Doug Ware, owner, Nutrition Physiology Corp., (800) 993-9899, or dware@bovamine.com.