Bacteria to Reduce Foodborne Pathogens in Meat and Poultry

April 28, 2006 — 

Researchers at Texas Tech University have developed a mixture of lactic acid bacteria designed to fight foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli O157 in beef and poultry products.

Lactic acid bacteria are already used in the production of cheese, yogurt and sausage and the product, sold under the name Bovamine Meat Cultures, has recently been deemed "generally recognized as safe" by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the purpose of protecting meat and poultry during long-term storage. The bacterial mixture, administered during the processing phase, was found to reduce Salmonella by 99.9 percent and E. coli O157:H7 by 99 percent during tests simulating meat storage and handling.

Source:
Texas Tech University