E.coli: Its Origins and the Battle to Reduce/Eliminate It

Newswise — First published in 1997 but still pertinent today, the Institute of Food Technologists' scientific status summary on E. coli O157:H7 describes the pathogen, its ability to infect, the inherent difficulties to inactivate it, and much more. Titled Foodborne Disease Significance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Other Enterohemorrhagic E. coli, the six-page document (plus references) and a one-page editorial is available to the public at www.ift.org (specifically at: http://members.ift.org/IFT/Research/ScientificStatusSummaries/).

These two briefs are also available immediately upon request as small .pdf attachments to e-mail. IFT Food Safety Experts and their contact information are available below. Dean Cliver, Ph.D., IFT expert in food safety, foodborne illness, parasites, viruses transmitted by food and water, E. coli O157:H7 and other bacteria, and more.

Michael Doyle, Ph.D., IFT expert in foodborne illness, pathogen detection and identification, antimicrobials and food, E. coli O157:H7, fresh produce safety, and more.

Linda Harris, Ph.D., IFT expert in food safety, foodborne illness, food preparation, food safety education, safety and spoilage of fruits and vegetables, E. coli O157:H7, and more.

John Rushing, Ph.D., IFT expert in fruit and vegetable safety, food preparation, food safety, quality control and assurance, bacteria and food, and more.

Don Schaffner, Ph.D., IFT expert in foodborne bacteria including E. coli O157:H7, foodborne illness, foodservice, risk assessment, safety of fresh cut produce, and more.

As news media contact and reference these food safety specialists noted above, IFT requires they be identified on first reference as expert with IFT in an area noted. Each is a professor, researcher, and/or extension specialist at a major academic institution.

Founded in 1939, and with world headquarters in Chicago, IFT is a not-for-profit international scientific society with 22,000 members working in food science, technology and related professions in industry, academia and government. As the society for food science and technology, IFT brings sound science to the public discussion of food issues. For more on IFT, see http://IFT.org.