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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Meat Safety and Quality » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #408832

Research Project: Holistic Tactics to Advance the Microbiological Safety and Quality of the Red Meat Continuum

Location: Meat Safety and Quality

Title: Evaluation of peracetic acid treatment on beef trimmings and subprimals against salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 within regulatory retained water limitations

Author
item Kalchayanand, Norasak - Nor
item Arthur, Terrance
item Wang, Rong
item BROWN, TED - Cargill Corporation
item Wheeler, Tommy

Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/2/2024
Publication Date: 3/1/2024
Citation: Kalchayanand, N., Arthur, T.M., Wang, R., Brown, T., Wheeler, T.L. 2024. Evaluation of peracetic acid treatment on beef trimmings and subprimals against salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 within regulatory retained water limitations. Journal of Food Protection. 87(3). Article 100217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100217.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100217

Interpretive Summary: Ground beef has raised awareness concerning microbiological safety due to contamination from foodborne pathogens. If the pathogens are present when meat trimmings are ground, then more of the meat surface is exposed to the harmful bacteria. It is important to reduce pathogens from beef trimmings before grinding. However, with the regulatory requirement to limit weight gaining after applying antimicrobial agents to beef trimmings before grinding, the decontamination of pathogens is rather effective. The findings indicated that antimicrobial agents significantly reduced pathogens on treated beef trimmings and subprimals compared to untreated fresh beef and met the regulatory requirements, thus improving safety of ground beef.

Technical Abstract: The application of antimicrobial treatments to beef trimmings prior to grinding for the reduction of microbial contamination in ground beef has increased recently. However, raw single-ingredient meat products are not permitted by Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) to retain more than 0.49% water resulting from post-evisceration processing. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of peracetic acid at varied concentrations against E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on surface of beef trimmings and beef subprimals within the retained water requirement. One hundred forty-four each of beef trimmings and subprimals were used to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of peracetic acid solution on reducing E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on surfaces of fresh beef within the Food Safety and Inspection Service requirement of