NEW AND ESTABLISHED CARCASS DECONTAMINATION PROCEDURES COMMONLY BLEEDIN THE BEEF-PROCESSING INDUSTRY

The fate of Escherichia coil O157:H7 and salmonellae as well as other potentially pathogenic bacteria resulting from fecal and other sources of contamination on red meat carcasses is a major concern. The develo pment and validation of various decontamination procedures for red mea t carcasses is not a new research area. However, recent morbidity and mortality attributable to the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in ground be ef has heightened the awareness of and rekindled a sense of urgency fo r this research. Over the last few years various intervention processe s have been developed and are being used to decontaminate red meat car casses. Some of these processes include carcass rinses with antimicrob ial compounds, steam, vacuum, and hot water. An overview of the result s of several recent investigations demonstrating the effectiveness of these decontamination methods is presented.