Stronger Beef Safety, Stronger Industry

There are many moving parts necessary to establish a safe, high-quality beef supply. For cattle producers, ensuring cattle are safe, healthy and ready for market is a top priority. The Beef Checkoff brings together some of the best scientific and technical minds in the meat industry to ensure consumers are confident when purchasing a product even before they visit the meat case at their local grocery stores and online shopping deliveries.

SAFETY RESEARCH

The Beef Checkoff funds beef safety research in both the pre-and post-harvest stages of the animal’s life cycle, specifically to reduce foodborne pathogens in beef products. Conducted by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Meat Institute and Meat Foundation as contractors to the Beef Checkoff, these science-driven programs focus on:

• Identifying Emerging Threats: Research is conducted to detect and understand evolving foodborne pathogens that may impact beef safety.
• Developing Prevention Strategies: Studies explore innovative pre-harvest and post-harvest interventions to reduce the presence of pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli.
• Advancing Detection Methods: Cutting-edge diagnostic tools and rapid testing technologies help identify contamination risks more effectively.
• Collaborating with Industry Partners: The program works closely with many pieces of the supply chain to implement science-backed safety solutions.

FOREFRONT OF DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS

The Beef Checkoff pioneered the management of food safety risks across the entire meat industry. In 1993, the Beef Checkoff created a Blue-Ribbon Task Force, which developed an industry blueprint for managing the food safety risks from E. coli O157 H7. Published in 1994, the Blue-Ribbon Task Force report recommended strategies that drastically improved meat safety and served as the impetus for change to ensure a safer beef supply. This Beef Checkoff-funded research played a critical role in informing improvements in beef safety across the supply chain.

In 2007, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) set a goal to reduce infections from foodborne E. coli O157:H7 by 50 percent in 2010. The CDC met this “Healthy People” goal in 2009, largely due to the beef industry’s research and proactive efforts.

CONTINUED INNOVATION

Dedicated to ensuring a safe beef supply for consumers throughout the years, the Beef Checkoff continues to address knowledge gaps through research. Salmonella, in particular, remains a focus for food safety efforts. Salmonella illnesses can be traced back to a wide variety of foods, with 75 percent coming from seven food categories. In 2021, beef was attributed as the source of just 6.5 percent of foodborne Salmonella illnesses, up one-half of a percent from 2020¹.

To improve the safety profile of beef products, the following research is being conducted:

• Compilation of a comprehensive, representative Salmonella baseline for the U.S. beef industry across seasons and regions to more accurately understand the pathogen’s presence in ground beef.
• Analysis of beef Salmonella outbreaks using a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis pipeline to enhance outbreak traceback reliability.

These and other ongoing safety research efforts strengthen pathogen-mitigation strategies. The program is building a roadmap to ensure safe, high-quality beef products worldwide by filling these knowledge gaps.

Industry collaboration and research dissemination are also fundamental parts of the program. Key beef safety research supported by the Beef Checkoff is featured throughout major industry events like the Meat Industry Food Safety Conference (MIFSC) and the Beef Industry Safety Summit, reaching hundreds of food safety professionals.

In 2024, presentations at MIFSC covered topics like Salmonella baselines, genetic relatedness, and pathogenic testing in beef. The 2024 Safety Summit session, “Salmonella Implications and Virulence Testing Programs,” focused on detecting virulent Salmonella strains, enhancing testing accuracy, and improving beef safety.

Sharing these findings advances pathogen understanding, supports safe beef practices and underscores beef’s role in a healthy diet, contributing to a stronger industry knowledge foundation.

Additionally, research funded by beef producers led to a novel Salmonella risk assessment approach. The beef industry’s leadership in scientific innovation advances the discussion of Salmonella risks among meat industry stakeholders and regulators, highlighting the beef industry’s proactive approach to research and beef safety.

By proactively identifying risks, developing innovative safety measures and collaborating with industry experts, Beef Checkoff-funded research helps minimize food safety threats, reinforces consumer trust and ultimately strengthens demand for beef.

To learn more about the Beef Checkoff’s beef safety research program, visit: beefresearch.org/programs/beef-safety