
New Computer Modeling Program Evaluates Potential Salmonella Risk From
PoultryBy Doris
Stanley February 24, 1998 A new computer modeling program helps poultry companies and regulatory
agencies make important food safety decisions that safeguard public health.
Agricultural Research Service scientists
who developed the program say it evaluates risk of Salmonella infection
from poultry produced by specific farm-to-table scenarios. Available on a floppy disk, the program can also be used to create new
models for other pathogens like E. coli and Campylobacter, and
other foods including ground beef and apple cider. It's ideal for evaluating
the impact of new intervention methods--such as irradiation--on the risk of
foodborne disease in humans. And it can also be used to evaluate the
effectiveness of the Administration's new
HACCP (Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Points) program that began January 26. Two major poultry producers are testing the new modeling system. The model
is easy to use. Available at no cost, it was developed by the Microbial Food
Safety Research Unit at Princess Anne, Md., a satellite of ARS' Eastern Regional
Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pa. The modeling system is one of 15 products ARS is presenting today to the
Senate Appropriation Committee's Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development
and Related Agencies. These products represent transfer of research technology
from ARS laboratories to industry and consumers. Scientific contact: Tom Oscar, USDA-ARS Eastern Regional Research
Center, Microbial Food Safety Research Unit, University of Maryland Eastern
Shore, Princess Anne, MD 21853; phone (410) 651-6062, fax (410) 651-6568, [email protected]. Story contacts Microbial Food Safety Research U.S. Department of Agriculture | |