Feds speed up E. coli investigation procedures

Each year one in six Americans is sickened by a foodborne illness. Sometimes the culprit is E. coli or other bacteria which contaminate meat or poultry products.  On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced new measures designed to detect contaminated meat and poultry faster and before it enters the human food supply. 

E. coli 0157 is the most common source of foodborne illness and can cause diarrhea, illness and, in severe cases, even death.

“The additional safeguards ... will improve our ability to prevent foodborne illness by strengthening our food safety infrastructure,” said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Elisabeth Hagen during a conference call with reporters. “Together, these measures will provide us with more tools to protect our food supply, resulting in stronger public health protections for consumers."

Currently when the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) performs routine E. coli testing of meat and poultry products, they need to have a “confirmed positive” test to instigate the traceback process for contaminants.

Under the new rules, FSIS can begin tracebacks if meat or poultry samples result in a “potential positive" test result, which means an investigation can launch 24 to 48 hours sooner than waiting for a confirmed positive test result.

Then FSIS can more quickly begin linking products, companies, and sources of the contaminated product and instigate a recall, preventing products from reaching consumers.

The new procedure got a thumbs up from the health advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest.

"Rapid traceback is essential for reducing the impact of E. coli outbreaks, and protects both consumers and the meat industry," said Caroline Smith DeWaal, the organization's food safety director. "When it comes to testing for E. coli, it makes sense to start traceback procedures upon a presumptively positive test result, and not lose valuable time waiting for a confirmation.

She called on the USDA to do the same for antibiotic-resistant strains of Salmonella in meat products, which she said hospitalized nearly 50 people and sickened 167 last year.