Evaluation of process control to prevent contamination of beef with non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in U.S. export abattoirs in Honduras and Nicaragua

Seasonal prevalence of potentially positive non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) bovine hides and carcasses in Costa Rica

“…In Poland, Wieczorek, Denis, and Osek (2009) found that 19.6% (54/276) of hide samples collected during a one-year period were PCR-positive for non-O157 STEC whereas Svoboda, Dudley, DebRoy, Mills, and Cutter (2011) found that 85.2% (23/27) of hide samples collected in small and very small beef plants in the Pennsylvania area were PCR-positive for at least one of the six non-O157 STEC serogroups currently regulated in the U.S. In Honduras and Nicaragua, Chaves et al (2013) found 23.3% (7/30) and 90% (45/50) of PCR-positive non-O157 STEC hides collected during the dry season. These results suggest that hides may be an important source of non-O157 STEC bacteria, which may result in contamination of carcasses and potential entry into the food supply (Barkocy-Gallagher et al, 2003;Arthur, Bosilevac, Brichta-Harhay, & Kalchayanand, 2007;Arthur et al, 2010).…”

“…A cocktail of stx-and eae-positive STEC O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145, all of bovine origin, was used as positive control and ultrapure water was used as blank. Manufacturer's instructions were followed for the PCR screening as described in Chaves et al (2013) and Chaves, Echeverry, Miller, and Brashears (2015).…”

“…For example, Barkocy-Gallagher et al (2003) found that 96.6% (1,238/1,282) of pre-eviscerated carcass samples collected during a 12-month period at three fed-beef plants in the Midwestern U.S. were PCR-positive for non-O157 STEC. More recently, Chaves et al (2013) found that in Honduras and Nicaragua, 6.7% (2/30) and 0% (0/50) pre-evisceration carcass samples were PCR-positive for at least one of the six non-O157 STEC serogroups currently regulated in the U.S.…”

“…Pathogen presence on post-intervention carcasses carries the highest significance to public health because foodborne disease risk to consumers increases as the product becomes case ready (BarkocyGallagher et al, 2003;Chaves et al, 2013). The prevalence of potential positive treated carcass samples immediately before entering the cooler was low (0 to 3.3%) with only one sample resulting potentially positive in facility C during the rainy season.…”

“…However, recent increases in the number of outbreaks and sporadic cases of disease due to non-O157 STEC serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145, their low infectious dose, and their association with the consumption of raw or undercooked beef products, led the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) to declare these six serogroups as adulterants in raw, non-intact beef products and product components since 2012 (Gould et al, 2013;USDA-FSIS, 2014). Consequently, facilities that export beef to the U.S. must meet the standards set forth by FSIS as part of their equivalence process to demonstrate that they employ control measures similar to those used domestically to prevent adulteration of products with STEC bacteria (Chaves et al, 2013;USDA-FSIS, 2011.…”