Multiple Antimicrobial Interventions for the Control of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Very Small Beef Processing Facilities

One-hundred and fifty beef carcasses from 3 very small beef processing plants were sponge sampled for aerobic plate count, generic E. coli, coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, and E. coli O157:H7 before and after carcass intervention strategies. The control (C) treatment consisted of one 3% lactic acid (LA) wash applied at the end of slaughter, just prior to chilling. The multiple (M) intervention treatment received a 3% LA wash prior to evisceration, a hot water wash after carcass splitting and trimming, and a final LA wash just prior to chilling. The M treatment showed greater log reductions throughout the slaughter process prior to chilling for indicator bacteria. M and C treatments were similar for all bacteria after chilling. Both treatments were effective at reducing the occurrence of E. coli O157:H7