Reducing E. coli content of beef

Details Reducing E. coli content of beef Reducing E. coli content of beef

2000-01-31

2001-08-07

Sayala, Chhaya D. (Department: 1761)

Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products

Treatment of live animal

C426S635000, C426S636000, C426S655000, C426S807000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06270812

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a method of producing beef of reduced pathogenic
E. coli
content.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Beef is typically obtained from cattle (beef cattle or dairy cattle) that have grazed in pastures and have fed in feedlots. About 18 to 24 months after birth, the animals are slaughtered and primal cuts are obtained.
The bacterium
E. coli
is a natural inhabitant of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of most warm-blooded animals, including man and cattle. Over 200 serotypes or strains of
E. coli
have been identified, and most are non-pathogenic. In 1971, however,
E. coli
was first recognized as a cause of food borne illness in the United States when contaminated imported cheese caused diarrheal disease in about 400 individuals. Evidence that certain strains of
E. coli
were associated with human disease grew, and now five classes of “enterovirulent”
E. coli
are recognized as food borne pathogens causing diseases ranging from traveler's diarrhea to the potentially deadly hemorrhagic colitis/hemolytic uremic syndrome. Red meat (including beef) and poultry have been implicated as prominent sources of enterovirulent
E. coli
. One strain of enterovirulent
E. coli
is 0157:H7. Presence of this specific strain is considered as an adulterant by the USDA.
At slaughter of cattle, the carcases are inspected and graded and tested for
Eschericia coli
O157:H7 (
E. coli
O157:H7) content on a random basis. Ground beef is also randomly tested specifically for
E. coli
O157:H7. Meat found with
E. coli
O157:H7 is not suitable for human consumption and is destroyed. Meat found negative for
E. coli
O157:H7 and with an acceptable level of
E. coli
content or which were not tested for
E. coli
content is usually vacuum packaged to preserve freshness, and the packaged meat is sent to supermarkets or other meat distribution businesses where the vacuum packaging is removed and the meat is repackaged or displayed in a case for sale, or cuts are converted into ground meat or cut into smaller cuts which are repackaged or displayed in a case for sale.
We turn now to approaches for reducing the pathogen content of beef One approach in the battle against food borne pathogens is to reduce the occurrence of these pathogens at the farm Many food borne pathogens (including
E. coli
O157:H7) are inhabitants of the GI tract and feces of cattle. During slaughter and processing, fecal contaminants from the hide, hair and hooves can be transferred to the carcass, and in current processing schemes there is no foolproof means of eliminating these pathogens from raw meat products. Since the origin of these pathogens tends to be the GI tract, it is thought that by manipulating animal feed, the environment of the gut can be altered to enhance the growth of healthy non-pathogenic bacteria in the gut, and/or minimize or eliminate the presence of pathogens; this approach has not been entirely successful.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is conceived herein that a heightened immune response could have a positive impact on microflora in the gut and that administration of seaweed supplement as a result of causing heightened immune response or otherwise (e.g., direct toxicity to
E. coli
microbes) will result in production of beef with reduced pathogenic
E. coli
content thereby improving the safety of beef and beef products.
One embodiment of the invention herein is directed to a method of obtaining beef of reduced pathogenic
E. coli
content and comprises the steps of: (a) directly feeding seaweed supplement to cattle during the feedlot finishing period of the life cycle of beef production; (b) slaughtering the cattle and obtaining meat; and (c) analyzing for pathogenic E coli content in samples of the meat; thereby to obtain and demonstrate the presence of beef of reduced pathogenic
E. coli
content compared to if seaweed supplement were not fed.
Another embodiment of the invention herein is directed to a method of obtaining beef of reduced pathogenic
E. coli
content comprising the steps of (a) grazing cattle on forage on or into which seaweed supplement has been incorporated; (b) slaughtering the cattle and obtaining meat; and (c) analyzing for pathogenic
E. coli
content in samples of the meat; thereby to obtain and demonstrate the presence of beef of reduced pathogenic
E. coli
content compared to if seaweed supplement were not fed.
The term “meat” is used herein to include primal cuts as well as smaller cuts, including ground meat.


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