An official website of the United States government.
<OL> <LI> Develop non-thermal technologies for inactivation of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in foods. For example, integrate bacteriaphage, bacteriocins, probiotics and other antimicrobials with pressure processing to enhance microbial inactivation. <LI> Examine the effects of antimicrobial intervention strategies in foods manufactured and processed by traditional and ethnic and/or organic means. <LI> Determine mechanisms that allow specific pathogens to persist in various food processing environments. <LI> Develop methodologies for reduction of these pathogens in traditionally processed along with alternatively processed foods.
APPROACH: The popularity of ethnic and organic meat products has been linked with growing consumer concerns over food safety. While still a relatively small market, sale of organic fresh meat products increased 51 percent in 2003. The USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food, although ethnic and organic products are perceived to be healthier and safer than non-organic food products. Furthermore, the obsession with diet and the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets in the quest for weight control have resulted in a huge demand for meat products. There is no clear evidence to indicate that organic or ethnic foods are more or less prone to spoilage and/or pathogen contamination. Changes in bacterial flora will be compared for organic/ ethnic and conventionally produced meat/food products. Persistence of specific pathogens, if any, in organic and ethnic derived food (meat) products will be studied. Non-thermal technologies for the reduction/ inactivation of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in foods conventionally and non-traditionally processed will be developed. Research will be performed to determine microbial destruction mechanisms involved with the newly developed non-thermal processing technologies.