Standard Operating Procedure for E.coli O157

There are various ways that beef carcasses can become contaminated with E.coli O157:H7, with de-hiding and evisceration being the main areas of concern during the slaughter process. Processors must be aware of the food safety hazard E.coli O157:H7 poses and consistently perform slaughter practices with sanitary procedures. Because E.coli O157:H7 appears to be more prevalent today, conducting carcass sampling procedures to validate antimicrobial interventions and good slaughter practices is imperative to the safety of the food we eat. These procedures outline one method of carcass sampling process for E.coli O157:H7.