Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports multiple outbreaks of human disease resulting from consumption of Salmonella or Shiga-toxigenic E. coli-contaminated uncooked fermented/acidified and semi-dry/dry sausage products, notably salami-style products contaminated during post-lethality handling. The USDA in 2021 identified thelack of sufficient data validating pathogen control on uncooked fermented, dried sausages of differing diameters as a significant research need. The USDA reported manufacturers producing products of differing dimensions dried to the same terminal water activity, without monitoring drying kinetics, possessed insufficientassurance that food safety wassufficiently protected. Through a multidisciplinary approach uniting food processing, food safety microbiology, and predictive modeling, our team will innovate a novel model usefully validating microbial hazard control in fermented, dried sausages varying by size. The model will comprehensively account for changes in sausage physico-chemical characteristics under conditions replicating those occurring commercially. It will also be tested in cooperation with a commercial processor in-plant. Creation and refinement of this mathematical modeling tool will provide critical validation to hazard control for the U.S. meat industry for food safety protection. Planned research will assist in achieving sustainable agriculture goals by reducing food losses due to economic, public health, and nutrition loss consequences inherent to failures in food safety protection.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
60%
Applied
25%
Developmental
15%
Goals / Objectives
The over-arching purpose of the proposed research is to improve microbiological safety protection for fermented and dried sausages intended for U.S. consumers.Objectives of outlined research studies and experimental efforts are to:generate data that parameterize the impacts of differing starter cultures and casing diameters on resulting fermentation, water mobility and pathogen control;apply gathered data towards innovation of a new mathematical model that parameterizes sausage manufacturing conditions on consequent pathogen and surrogate survival, and;subject model to early validations by applying microbiological data from pilot and commercial products, using surrogates selected from experimental evaluation and/or review of published data.These are sequenced logically wherein foundational data are first generated, a novel model is innovated by collaborators to identify and test the parameters of sausage manufacture significantly influencing pathogen(s) survival, and then a commercially produced product is tested by the model (see letter of support by commercial manufacturer). Upon completion of research project objectives and research experimentation, investigators expect to have developed, refined, and completed initial validation of a physical+kinetic two component predictive model that accounts for diameter, fat distribution, fermentation endpoint pH, and drying conditions for control of the human pathogensSalmonella enterica, Shiga toxigenicE. coli(STEC), andListeria monocytogenes.
Project Methods
Efforts:All investigators will provide hands-on direct and collaborative teaching/training to recruited graduate and undergraduate project assistants/students, teaching experimental methods of product manufacture, data gathering, use of analytical instruments, data capture from experiments, data storage and preliminary analysis via statistical methods. This will include formal teaching and informal teaching using class settings and research laboratory sessions to train students on how to utilize analytical equipment, how to dispose of spent sample material, how to properly capture data in digital and written forms, how to secure data against theft/copy/loss, and how to enter and analyze data for statistical analysis and interpretation. Investigators will give guidance to students on drafting and editing of volunteered abstracts and manuscripts through one-to-one consultation and/or collaborative writing exercises/sessions.Where useful and appropriate, investigators will coordinate with extension service-appointed specialists to offer research findings for use in workshops and training programs, developing visual aids and/or hands-on teaching exercises in collaboration with extension specialists leading these workshops/events. This will ensure best integration of research findings into the workshop's planned topical discussions and learning by participants. In classes taught by investigators, research findings will be evaluated for integration into formal lecture or class sessions. Additionally, investigators will support one anothers' teaching efforts by coordinated guest presentation either in person or by virtual presentation as a subject matter expert. Investigators will assist recruited graduate students in developing university-approved graduate mentoring committees that facilitate optimal student learning and degree completion.The project leader will facilitate efforts annually by planning team meetings either in concert with national scientific meetings or by virtual meeting (e.g., Zoom) to gather investigator updates, as well as by graduate students who are supported by the project. This will facilitate exchange of knowledge between groups, improvement of planned activities, help collaboratively develop problem solutions, and evaluate best next steps. These sessions will also assist the evaluation of project progression to completion.EvaluationProject leader Taylor will at least annually call investigators together to report on completion of outlined research phases (1-3) against projected timelines, identify obstacles slowing progression of data collection, and identify tangible products (e.g., abstract, papers, presentations, meetings, other impacts). These sessions will allow compilation of data indicative of project completion and/or identification of milestones achieved or exceeded. These will also be used, if needed, to discuss investigator-identified unanticipated research findings that are exciting and warrant more exploration.