Detecting pathogens in cattle and meat.

Publisher Summary Salmonella spp. , Escherichia coli O157:H7, Campylobacter spp. , Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica are some of the major foodborne bacterial pathogens that are found associated with cattle, other food animals, and foods of animal origin. E. coli O157:H7 has caused major outbreaks associated with foods of bovine origin and E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella , Y. enterocolitica, and Campylobacter spp. have been associated with outbreaks caused by consumption of pasteurized and un-pasteurized milk. The intestinal contents of cattle and dirty hides are the major contributors to carcass and meat contamination. There is a zero tolerance policy for E. coli O157:H7 in non-intact fresh beef products, such as ground beef; therefore, methods should have the ability to detect one Colony Forming Unit (CFU) in the sample being analyzed. Food analysis, however, is not free of limitations. Testing for zoonotic bacterial pathogens in animal production farms requires the analysis of a variety of sample types, including feces, manure, feed, water, insects, and wildlife, such as rodents, raccoons, deer, and birds, and no standard methods for detection of particular pathogens currently exist. This chapter discusses the methods developed or in development that are applicable for testing meat, carcasses, or other types of samples and the limitations of those methods.