Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 21, 2005
Publication Date: July 24, 2005
Citation: Edrington, T.S., Callaway, T.R., Genovese, K.J., Anderson, R.C., Nisbet, D.J. 2005. Pathogen control in the field. What can we do to reduce pathogens entering the abattoir? [abstract]. Journal of Animal Science. 83(Suppl. 1):359. Technical Abstract: While the meat processing industry has made significant improvements in the handling and processing of animals at slaughter and continues to produce the world's safest meat supply, the system is not 100% effective at eliminating contamination by pathogenic bacteria. Large scale meat recalls continue to exact a heavy economic toll on the industry. It has been said that 'strategies that reduce specific foodborne pathogens entering the abattoir could produce the most significant reductions in human exposures to the organism and therefore in related illnesses and deaths.' A substantial amount of research has been conducted and continues to focus on eliminating pathogenic bacteria in the animal before it is presented for slaughter. Diet manipulation, vaccines, competitive exclusion, various feed additives, and antibiotics have all been employed with varying levels of success. Research with chlorate and other similar compounds have yielded promising results. Recent research involving modulation of the innate immune system as a means of controlling pathogen populations is providing interesting data. New bacteriophage research has likewise yielded important information regarding E. coli O157:H7. Additionally, a new hypothesis regarding the seasonality of E. coli O157:H7 has generated research with intriguing results and will be discussed in addition to the above research areas.