The sooner one finds out a food product meets quality and safety requirements, the sooner it can be sold. That is why scientists are working to advance rapid testing, so companies easily can decide what to do with product to prevent foodborne illness.
Examining rapid testing in the beef industry today sheds light upon how complex the detection of microorganisms can be. For example, beef processors, who are generating or receiving boneless beef trim to grind into ground beef, are testing every 2,000-pound combo. It’s an enormous and dynamic type of process, explains Randy Phebus, a professor of food safety and defense in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University.