Evaluation of a STEC screening assay technology for use in export meat testing plants

Australian beef exporters must test for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) when sending raw non-intact beef products to regulated international markets. Current STEC test methods yield high numbers of potentially positive (PP) enrichment broths that are not confirmed by culture methods. This delays product release by up to 5 days. To address this, a novel STEC test system will be evaluated that has the potential to reduce the number of PP samples requiring culture confirmation. Such an outcome has potential to minimize the volume of product requiring cold storage holding which would in turn lead to energy and economic benefits.