Project to ensure meat safety

The £460,000 initiative, being undertaken by scientists at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, will be looking at ways of identifying contaminated meat in a bid to reduce outbreaks of serious infections, such as E. coli.

One potential source of contamination in abattoirs is when micro-organisms in waste material come into contact with the meat as it is being processed.

The contamination can be in such small amounts that it is almost indiscernible, but the three-year research project will concentrate on developing natural chlorophyll-based markers which can be added to animal feed.

Carcases will then be screened in the abattoir using fluorescent imaging which will show up the markers, thus identifying contamination of the meat by animal waste.

Dr Michael Lee, project lead at IBERS, is in the process of developing a natural marker which increases the fluorescent intensity five-fold within 24 hours of offering the marker to the animal.

“Working with partners across the food chain, we are currently working to develop lamb finishing feeds which include the markers,” he said.

“The project will also consider the possibility of using the markers to discover contamination of poultry meat and eggs.

“This is will be a significant step forward in helping to lower cases of outbreaks, such as salmonella.”

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