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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #63364
Title: EFFECTIVENESS OF A STEAM-VACUUM SANITIZER FOR REDUCING ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7 INOCULATED TO BEEF CARCASS SURFACE TISSUE

Author
item Dorsa, Warren
item Cutter, Catherine
item Siragusa, Gregory

Submitted to: Letters in Applied Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/21/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The effectiveness of a steam-vacuum sanitizing system (Vac-San, Kentmaster, Mfg., Monrovia, CA) for reducing bacterial populations as well as Escherichia coli O157:H7 from bovine fecal contamination was determined. The system was capable of reducing bacterial populations by an average of 99.9% on beef carcass short plate surfaces. The same beef carcass short plates contaminated with feces containing high levels of Escherichia coli O157:H7 experienced an average reduction of 99.999% after steam-vacuum treatments. This study demonstrates that a steam-vacuum sanitizer is very effective for removing E. coli O157:H7 from beef carcasses and would increase the microbial safety of beef carcasses. This system could be used by a processor to reduce the amount of trimming required for the removal of contamination from beef carcasses.

Technical Abstract: A steam-vacuum sanitizer reduced aerobic plate counts associated with bovine fecal contamination from 5.5 log**10 CFU/cm**2, to 3.0 +/- 0.21 log**10 CFU/cm**2 on beef carcass short plates. The same beef carcass short plates inoculated with 7.6 +/- 0.09 log**10 CFU/cm**2 Escherichia coli O157:H7 in feces yielded an average residual level of E. coli O157:H7 of 2.1 +/- 0.21 log**10 CFU/cm**2, after steam-vacuum treatments. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a steam- vacuum sanitizer for removing E. coli O157:H7 from beef carcasses.