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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #290377
Title: Evaluation of beef trim sampling methods for detection of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)

Author
item PHEBUS, RANDALL - Kansas State University
item Luchansky, John
item Porto-Fett, Anna
item THIPPAREDDI, HARSHAVARDHAN - University Of Nebraska
item SINGH, MANPREET - Auburn University
item SULLIVAN, RACHEL - Kansas State University
item HETTENBACH, SUSAN - Kansas State University
item WOLF, JOHN - Kansas State University
item PADDOCK, CASEY - Kansas State University
item BAUMANN, NICHOLAS - Kansas State University
item SEVART, NICHOLAS - Kansas State University
item MINTO, MICHAEL - Kansas State University
item MILKE, DONKA - Kansas State University
item MARX, DAVID - University Of Nebraska
item HARPER, NIGEL - Kansas State University
item SENECAL, ANDRE - Natick Soldier Center

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/28/2013
Publication Date: 7/28/2013
Citation: Phebus, R., Luchansky, J.B., Porto Fett, A.C., Thippareddi, H., Singh, M., Sullivan, R.R., Hettenbach, S.M., Wolf, J., Paddock, C., Baumann, N., Sevart, N., Minto, M., Milke, D.T., Marx, D.B., Harper, N., Senecal, A. 2013. Evaluation of beef trim sampling methods for detection of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Meeting Abstract. 76:81 (P1-43), International Association of Food Protection Annual Meeting, Charlotte, North Carolina, 7-28 to 7-31, 2013.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a major concern in ground beef. Several methods for sampling beef trim prior to grinding are currently used in the beef industry. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of the sampling methods for detecting STEC in beef trims. A six-strain STEC cocktail was inoculated onto a 908-g piece of beef trim and placed in a predetermined quadrant of the combo bin. Combo bins were broken into 27 quadrants (9 on the bottom, middle and top layers each). Sampling methods consisted of: The N-60 (industry standard method) and N-90 methods as described by the USDA (375 g composite sample), N-60 drill method (375 g composite sample), Cozzini core sampler (375 g composite sample), and purge (beef trim exudate, 375 mL sample) sampling methods. Meat was combined with 1.5 L of mEHEC enrichment medium and incubated at 42 deg C for 18 h. Samples were then processed and PCR was used to determine the presence of STEC. Purge sampling was the most effective method, with 13/14 positive samples. Cozzini corer, N-60 drill, N-60 and N-90 methods resulted in 11/14, 9/14, 7/14 and 7/14 samples being positive for STEC, respectively. The purge sampling and the Cozzini corer methods were superior compared to other methods for sampling beef trim for detection of STEC. The N-60 and N-90 sampling methods were effective for the top and middle layers, but only 3/12 samples were positive for bottom layer samples. It is not surprising that N-60 and N-90 was not effective with the bottom layer because typical sampling only involves cutting meat on the top of a combo bin. This research shows that purge and Cozzini corer methods are effective methods to sample for STEC in beef trim.