COST ACTION 920

Inventory of QMRA Studies in Europe


Data sheet

Pathogen

Escherichia coli O157

Country or region

Ireland

Transmission route

 From

Cattle

To

Human consumption

Specific product(s)

Beef burgers

End-point(s)

Probability of illness


Reports or publications

Bibliographic reference

A risk assessment on Verocytotoxigenic E. coli (including E. coli O157:H7) in beef and beef products. Final report for the Department of Agriculture

Abstract

A qualitative risk assessment model was developed to model the prevalence and counts of E. coli O157:H7 in Irish minced beef from the abattoir (animal hide) through to human consumption. The model was developed in a spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel 97) with the @Risk add-on package (Palisade Software, Newfield, N.Y.) and the simulation was performed using Latin Hypercube sampling. The model consisted of a number of different modules: Slaughter module, Preparation module, Inactivation and dose response module. The model was based on a strong background of quantitative data including a number of validation steps. These included prevalence and count data at the following points in the process: animal hides entering the abattoir, beef trimmings and beef burgers on the retail shelf. MRA techniques were used to fit distributions to available data and to simulate the process.

Status

Ongoing (under review)

Availability

Not available at present


Project group

Institute

National Food Centre
University College Dublin

Contact person

National food centre: gduffy@nfc.teagasc.ie
University College Dublin: Enda.Cummins@ucd.ie

Partners

National Food Centre (NFC)

University College Dublin (UCD)

Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI)

Food Safety Promotions Board (FSPB)

National Disease Surveillance Centre (NDSC)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Washington