** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SOUTH AFRICAN-STYLE AIR-DRIED BEEF (DROËWORS AND BILTONG) IS INCREASING IN POPULARITY IN THE USA. UNLIKE BEEF JERKY THAT IS HEATED TO 160OF AND HIGHER, THIS STYLE OF DRIED BEEF IS HELD AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES OF ~75OFAND~55% RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR 6-8 DAYS. DROËWORS IS A SAUSAGE-LIKE DRIED BEEF PRODUCT GENERATED FROM BEEF PIECES LEFT OVER FROM BILTONG PROCESSING.SINCE THESE PRODUCTS DO NOT RECEIVE A HEAT LETHALITY TREATMENT, USDA-FSIS REQUIRES THAT THEY PASS SIMILAR FOOD SAFETY PATHOGEN LETHALITY REQUIREMENTS AS HEAT-TREATED SHELF-STABLE BEEF JERKY. USDA-FSIS REGARDS AIR-DRIED BEEF PRODUCTS AS HAVING 'KNOWLEDGE GAPS' AND THEIR PROCESS SAFETY IS NOT ADEQUATELY COVERED IN THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE FOR THEM TO MAKE POLICY DECISIONS. PROCESSORS MUST USE ONE OF TWO USDA-FSIS PROCESS ALTERNATIVES TO MAKE THESE PRODUCTS DEMONSTRATING LETHALITY AGAINST A 'PATHOGEN OF CONCERN' AMONG RAW BEEF: 1) TEST ALL LOTS OF INGREDIENTS FOR SALMONELLA PRIOR TO USE (MUST TEST NEGATIVE) AND HAVE A PROCESS THAT DELIVERS A 2-LOG REDUCTION OF SALMONELLA, OR 2) HAVE A PROCESS THAT PROVIDES >5-LOG REDUCTION OF SALMONELLA WITHOUT TESTING. BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE OF SALMONELLA TESTING, THE LATTER IS PREFERRED. IN RECENT YEARS, WE HAVE GENERATED PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH ON THE BILTONG PROCESS THAT NOW SERVES AS USDA-FSIS VALIDATION FOR PROCESSORS. WE PROPOSE TO EXAMINE CONDITIONS TO ACHIEVE >5-LOG REDUCTIONS WITH DROËWORS DRIED BEEF WITH 4-STRAIN MIXTURES OF SALMONELLA SEROVARS, E. COLI O157:H7, L. MONOCYTOGENES, AND S. AUREUS DURING DROËWORS PROCESSING; EVALUATE A NON-PATHOGENIC BILTONG SURROGATE ORGANISM FOR IN-PLANT VALIDATION OF DROËWORS PROCESSING, AND PERFORM MICROBIOME ANALYSIS OF DROËWORS. AS WE PERFORMED WITHBILTONG, SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS STUDY SHOULD PROVIDE AMPLE SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENTATIONFILLING SO-CALLED USDA-FSIS 'KNOWLEDGE GAPS' ONDROËWORS PROCESS LETHALITY,ALLOWING THEM TO MAKE SCIENCE-BASEDPOLICY DECISIONS ON THE DROËWORS PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE.

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK

Investigators