DETECTION AND CONTROL OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI O157-H7 IN FOODS

Escherichia coli O157:H7, first identified aas a pathogen in 1982, is now recognized as an important foodborne pathogen. Most E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks have been associated with eating undercooked ground beef, including the recent outbreak in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Several methods (cultural, serological and DNA-based) have been developed for the detection of E. coli O157:H7 in foods. Reducing the carriage of E. coli O157:H7 by cattle, implementing a hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) program in processing foods of animal origin, and cooking foods of animal origin properly before consumption are important measures for the control and prevention of E. coli O157:H7 infections.