Iowa State University

10-30-97

Contacts:
George Beran, Microbiology, Immunology and Preventive Medicine, (515) 294-7630
Jim McKean, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-6301 or (515) 294- 8792
Steve Jones, News Service, (515) 294-4778

ISU RESEARCHERS RECEIVE GRANTS FOR FOOD SAFETY RESEARCH

AMES, Iowa -- Researchers at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine will receive two grants totaling more than $385,000 to study the prevalence of salmonella and other bacterial pathogens in swine.

ISU's George Beran, distinguished professor of microbiology, immunology and preventive medicine, and James McKean, associate director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center, will head the project. The research will take place in herds in Iowa and North Carolina.

The researchers will study how different pork production management practices affect the transmission of salmonella, yersinia and camplylobacter among swine. The three forms of bacteria cause diarrhea and other food-related ailments in humans.

"The United States sees about four million cases of human foodborne disease each year caused by these three microorganisms," Beran said. "We hope to learn more about how the bacteria are spread from animal to animal. If the pathogens can be reduced on the farm, it's less likely they will get into the food chain."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Services will provide $272,744 and the Food Safety Consortium will provide $112,464 for the study. The Food Safety Consortium consists of researchers from ISU, the University of Arkansas and Kansas State University.

Other ISU members of the research group are economist James Kliebenstein, microbiologist James Dickson and veterinary microbiologists Lorraine Hoffman and Terry Proescholdt. Peter Davies, a veterinary researcher at North Carolina State University, also is a member of the research team.

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Revised 10/30/97