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Validating and Implementing Listeria Monocytogenes Controls in Ready To Eat Meat Products Produced by Rural Meat and Poultry Operations

Objective

Overall Goal:<br>Increase the knowledge and skills of processors who operate small and very small business in rural locations by validating their processes for ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products; to control L. monocytogenes through the use of antimicrobial ingredients by providing training and information on product reformulation for Listeria control; by assuring that safe ready-to-eat products are acceptable to rural clientele; and by incorporating new Listeria knowledge into a national workshop training model.
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Extension professionals and researchers in the Great Plains states will work cooperatively to conduct L. monocytogenes validation experiments in RTE meat and poultry products. Information obtained from these experiments will be incorporated into hands-on workshops provided to processors operating in rural Great Plains regions. Processors will be taught how to incorporate antimicrobial ingredients into formulations to produce products having similar quality characteristics of existing products. Educational programs and training opportunities to integrate new Listeria knowledge into pre-requisite programs and HACCP plans will be provided through meetings, educational material, and one-on-one technical assistance. From these workshops and meetings, a national workshop model will be developed that can be used by Extension professionals to assist meat and poultry processors nationwide.

More information

The specific objectives are as follows: <ol>
<li>To develop and validate products and processes for RTE meat and poultry products commonly produced by small and very small business in rural locations to control L. monocytogenes through incorporation of antimicrobial ingredients.
<li>To develop and deliver a series of hands-on workshops on the use of antimicrobial ingredients to control L. monocytogenes in RTE meat and poultry products commonly produced by small and very small business in rural locations in the Great Plains states and provide training and information on product reformulation for Listeria control so product quality remains acceptable to rural clientele.
<li>To develop and deliver education and assistance opportunities to implement Listeria control into HACCP pre-requisite programs through one-on-one technical assistance, small group meetings and educational material and to processors operating rural small and very small business.
<li>To develop and pilot test a national workshop model and leader training on L. monocytogenes control through the use of antimicrobial ingredients, product reformulation, and other emerging technologies to assist operators of rural small and very small meat and poultry processors. </ol>
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Small and very small rural businesses are challenged by a lack of education in the application of ingredients for L. monocytogenes control and a lack of published, validated research on products they produce. This project is designed to reduce the risk of Listeria monocytogenes in HACCP systems and to implement product formulation changes for ready to eat meat (RTE) products produced by small and very small meat and food processors in the Great Plains.

Methodology: <ol>
<li>Over a two year period, studies will be conducted at the University of Nebraska to validate control of L. monocytogenes in four ready to eat (RTE) meat and poultry products commonly produced by small and very small meat processors. The experiment will evaluate the growth of L. monocytogenes in RTE processed meat products, the inhibitory effects of alternative salts of organic acid during refrigerated storage, and the general microbiological quality of non-inoculated product. In addition, Nebraska, Kansas, and South Dakota will evaluate the products for quality characteristics when antimicrobial ingredients are included in the formulation.
<li>Using the results obtained from validating control of L. monocytogenes in RTE meat and products by incorporation of antimicrobial ingredients, the faculty involved in this project will develop a hands-on one day training program to assist small and very small rural meat and poultry processors with incorporating this knowledge into their processes. The curriculum, designed to impact change by small and very small meat and poultry processors to include antimicrobial ingredients in RTE meat products, will also be designed to address concerns that these businesses may have about product quality, such as taste and appearance, and ingredient costs.
<li>Direct assistance by group meetings or one-on-one assistance has been a priority in Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota and Missouri in previous projects. This project will provide assistance for the development HACCP pre-requisite programs for Listeria control and standard operating procedures for the control of L. monocytogenes in RTE products. These procedures will provide the necessary supporting documentation for the HACCP plan that is required by USDA. A survey of meat and food processors will be conducted near the end of the project to evaluate the change in knowledge, skills, and implementation of technical information provided for HACCP plans and food safety systems.
<li>The faculty involved in this project will utilize their experience with the workshops identified in objective 2 in this request to develop a hands on curriculum that has impact for small and very small meat and poultry processors. </ol>
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A leaders training workshop will be conducted in the third year of the project for extension professionals and industry leaders interested in delivery of the program in other states or locations. Printed materials of the workshop notebook and the leader training guide will be provided to all that attend the leader training. Electronic versions will distributed by a web site and/or cd-rom will be provided to other Extension professionals that do not attend the leader training. Following the leader training, an evaluation will be conducted with the participants to assess program curriculum, materials, presentations, and delivery methods. Improvements suggested in the evaluation will be reviewed and changes will be implemented in the course curriculum or materials.

Investigators
Burson, Dennis
Institution
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Start date
2004
End date
2007
Project number
NEB-13-168
Accession number
200027