Novel Continuous and Manual Sampling Methods for Beef Trim Microbiological Testing, New Webinar Hosted by Xtalks

TORONTO, November 8, 2018 (Newswire.com) - A new beef trim sampling concept has been developed through a joint R&D project with USDA Agricultural Research Service, Fremonta, and Sentry Equipment. The methods developed from this effort have received a USDA Letter of No Objection.

Attendees of this live webinar upcoming on Friday, November 30, 2018 at 2pm EST will learn:

• Limitations of existing beef trim sampling methods (N60, N60+)
• Drivers behind the research and development of a new beef trim sampling method
• New methodology: Manual Sampling Device (MSD) and Continuous Sampling Device (CSD)
• Summary of completed research
• Application of methods with pros and cons

For beef trimmings, potential contaminants will be on the exterior surface of the product that was exposed during the slaughter and dressing process. Therefore, collection methods that provide more surface area for the test increase the sensitivity of the sampling. The United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends collection methods specifications be designed to ensure that a high percentage of the collected product that is to be used for testing consists of exterior surface tissue.

Currently, two methods (N60 and N60+) are used most often in the beef industry for sample collection for the collection raw beef trim samples. The N60 method requires precise cutting of sixty pieces of surface tissue from beef trimmings. The process takes considerable employee time, destroys just under a pound of meat for each sample, and samples a very limited surface area. The N60+ method can reduce the amount of time required to capture samples, however it requires more expensive equipment and the physical exertion necessary for the technical staff to collect the samples may lead to work-related injuries. Like N60, the N60+ method also causes product loss due to sample collection.

Two new methods have been proven to be at least as effective or better than the current standard methods (N60 and N60+) and are easier, safer, less costly to implement, and sample large surface areas. These methods can be applied in a Manual Sampling Device (MSD) and a Continuous Sampling Device (CSD) for high volume production lines.

The new MSD and CSD beef trim sampling methods can reduce or remove most sources of injury, are simpler and easier to implement, reduce product loss and require less enrichment media than traditional methods, while sampling more surface area than the current methods. The continuous version of this method is ideally suited for high volume production lines and samples the vast majority of product in the lot.  Data collected from multiple trials has shown that the MSD and CSD methods are at least as effective as or better than the N60 and N60+ methods.

The new methodology is being rolled out at several beef packers now.

Join featured speakers Tommy L. Wheeler, Ph.D., Research Leader, Meat Safety & Quality Research Unit, USDA, US Meat Animal Research Center, Terrance M. Arthur, Ph.D., Microbiologist, USDA, US Meat Animal Research Center, Jason Hastings, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer at FREMONTA Corp., Garth Hoffmann, National Sales Director of FREMONTA Corp. and John Powalisz, Director of Business Development at Sentry Equipment for an insightful and interactive presentation. 

For more information or to register for this event, visit: Novel Continuous and Manual Sampling Methods for Beef Trim Microbiological Testing.

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Contact:

Nima Rajan

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Source: Xtalks