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eNewsletter, February 2011February 1, 2011
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New Research Project Funded
The National Cattlemens’ Beef Association has recently funded Rob Atwill and Xunde Li a $200,000 project entitled “Strategies to reduce super-shedding and the bioburden of E. coli O157:H7 in feedlots”. The objectives of this project are 1) to determine the rate of occurrence and identify host, pathogen, and management risk factors associated for cattle shedding normal levels compared to cattle shedding high levels (super-shedder) of E. coli O157:H7 and 2) to determine if super-shedder cattle are the result of being infected with specific and unique strains of E. coli O157:H7 that cause super-shedder infections, or alternatively, super-shedder infections are only the result of ingesting a high dose compared to a low dose of E. coli O157:H7 regardless of bacterial strain or some other host factor (diet, etc.).
Concerns have been increasing by the beef industry regarding the super-shedding of E. coli O157:H7 and bioburden in feedlot steers which may significantly increase the potential of beef contamination by E. coli O157:H7. Outcomes of the project will help to develop strategies and Good Agricultural Practices to reduce super-shedding and the bioburden of E. coli O157:H7 in feedlots, and thus improve the microbial safety of beef products by reducing contamination.
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Request for Participants in New Central Coast Study
“Co-management of food safety risks and riparian/wetland habitats for Central Coast California Agriculture”
For over four years, our research team at UC Davis and the USDA ARS Western Regional Research Center has been studying sources of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, and how these bacteria move within the central California coast agricultural landscape. The Western Center for Food Safety was recently funded by CPS and FDA CFSAN to examine the potential food safety hazards associated with common amphibian and reptile species from riparian/wetland habitats in central coast California. These animals were not tested during the earlier studies, and thus represent a gap in our knowledge about wildlife sources of foodborne pathogens in the central coast.
We Need Your Help
All funding and wildlife collection permits are in place to move forward. All we need is your voluntary permission to allow us to quietly and confidentially collect samples at least twice through the end of the year (December 2011). The study is open to produce growers, ranchers, conservationists, and any other stakeholders interested in co-management in three central coast counties (Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz). We are looking for properties with natural or man-made ponds and riparian/wetland habitat. All information relating to private properties (location, owner, etc.) is kept confidential by using confidential codes that cannot be linked to the laboratory results.
To sign-up for the study or for more information, please contact Michele Jay-Russell at (530) 757-5756 or mjay@ucdavis.edu. More details on the study can be found here.
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Left to Right: Yingjia Liu and Kristine L. Fernandez performing a spike trial on a red-eared turtle for Salmonella and E.coli O157:H7 detection.
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Imperial County UC Cooperative Extension
January 24, 2011
Holtville, CA
Bruce Hoar and Rob Atwill met with various sheep ranchers and Donna Henderson of Imperial Valley UC Cooperative Extension to plan this season's field work for a CPS-funded project on fecal pathogens and airborne transport of these microbial hazards from sheep grazing operations in Imperial Valley. These livestock owners have been excellent collaborators and very supportive of the research to safeguard produce food safety. We also appreciate all the help that Henderson is providing the project. More information may be found here.
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Imperial Valley sheep.
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Better Process Control School
February 15-18, 2011
Davis, CA
Linda Harris presented three lectures in the UC Davis Cooperative Extension four-day Better Process Control School (BPCS) on microbiology, acidified foods, and sanitation. The BPCS was established primarily for operating supervisors, the individual who is in the plant at the time a canned food product is packed and processed. The school is particularly intended for operating supervisors involved in production of thermally processed low acid and acidified foods. More information is available here. The Better Process Control School is also offered on-line.
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The Society for Range Management
February 9, 2011
Billings, MT
Rob Atwill and Ken Tate received an Outstanding Achievement Award - Research/Academia from The Society for Range Management. This award was given for their 15 years of active scientific collaboration on identifying risk factors and good agricultural practices for waterborne pathogens in agricultural watersheds. It was a bit cold on that day in Billings.
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Dried Fruit and Nut Association Meeting
February 16, 2011
Monterey, CA
Linda Harris attended the annual meeting of DFA where the afternoon program was on food safety. Click here for news and events.
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Robert Mondavi Institute
February 8, 2011
Davis, CA
Linda Harris hosted about 30 Master Food Preservers (volunteers from El Dorado and Sacramento counties) on a tour of the RMI complexes as well as giving an overview of her research. Master Food Preservers are trained volunteers who are certified to provide up-to-date information on safe food handling and the prevention of foodborne illness. They conduct monthly public workshops on safely preserving food at home and answer phone inquiries about food safety.
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Jay-Russell Gives Guest Lecture at Stanford School of Medicine
January 28, 2011
Stanford, CA
Scott Smith, MD invited WCFS’ Michele Jay-Russell to lecture in his course, “Parasites and Pestilence,” at Stanford University. She lectured on foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak investigations in the US, and presented highlights from current studies at UC Davis in the epidemiology and ecology of foodborne pathogens. Information on career paths in public health and food safety was also shared with students. Jay-Russell originally met Smith during a leptospirosis investigation in 2003 while working for the California Department of Public Health. The study was published in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
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Jay-Russell speaking to students at Stanford University.
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