Some Methods of getting bacteria off our food are unacceptable to the general public. After using ammonia to make what the public called “pink slime” no meat producer would think of using ammonia as a disinfectant. The public doesn't approve of using gamma radiation to treat food either. They seem to think that food would become radioactive.
The USDA and the FDA both have regulations about what can be used on food to control bacteria. These Products Can not change the taste or appearance of the food in any way. and they must not negatively affect food safety or public health. To be used a product must have a long history of safety or go through testing to prove that they are safe.
A Dutch company has developed a product that uses bacteriophage to kill listeria bacteria on food. It has been approved for use in the United States and the European Union. They are presently applying for approval in Australia and New Zealand.
Another process that has been highly effective is to spray beef carcasses with steam or hot water. This is used to get rid of E. coli 157 Using high powered washes has virtually eliminated listeria from hot dogs and lunch meats. The use of chlorine, lemon juice and organic acids are generally accepted by the public.
All bacteria cannot be killed in the same way. When you use the antiseptic wipes at the grocery store it kills some species of bacteria and not others. Some species of bacteria are killed by steam and others are able to tolerate steam All species of bacteria can’t be killed in the same way. This can cause a problem when there are different types of infectious bacteria on the same food.
From my point of view we should be developing bacteriophage sprays, not just for listeria, to do a better job of taking care of a variety of bacteria
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