Reducing Pathogenic Escherichia coli Surrogates on Fresh Beef Cuts by Water-Reducing Antimicrobial Interventions.

Area of Science:

• Food Safety
• Microbiology
• Agricultural Engineering

Background:

• Water conservation is a growing concern in beef processing.
• Antimicrobial interventions are crucial for beef safety during harvest and fabrication.
• Small and very small beef establishments face unique challenges in water management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of low-water antimicrobial interventions for reducing Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) surrogates on beef cuts.
• To assess the impact of water reduction strategies on pathogen reduction efficacy.
• To provide solutions for water conservation in small and very small beef processing facilities.

Main Methods:

• Beef cuts (briskets, shoulder/clods, rounds) were inoculated with nonpathogenic E. coli.
• Treatments included conventional lactic acid spray, electrostatic lactic acid spray, hot water spray, and recycled hot water spray.
• Surviving E. coli surrogates were enumerated after treatment application.

Main Results:

• Lactic acid spray and electrostatic spray treatments achieved greater E. coli reductions (1.0–1.1 log CFU/300 cm2) compared to hot water interventions (0.3–0.5 log CFU/300 cm2).
• Recycling hot water reduced water losses by at least 45%.
• Low-water interventions offer water savings but may not always maintain pathogen reduction efficacy.

Conclusions:

• Lactic acid-based interventions are more effective than hot water for reducing E. coli surrogates on beef.
• Water recycling in hot water interventions significantly reduces water usage.
• Optimizing low-water interventions is essential for balancing water conservation and food safety in beef processing.