Study Uses GE Plants to Eliminate E. coli in Food Products

 Written by Katharine Richter

On September 8, 2015, The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published a study online titled, “Broad and efficient control of major foodborne pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli by mixture of plant-produced colicins.”  The study advocates that colicins, which are nonantibiotic antimicrobial proteins that “kill or inhibit the growth of other competing E. coli strains,” could be used to effectively mitigate the risk of E. coli in meat and produce.

The study states E. Coli. “is one of the leading cause of bacterial enteric infections worldwide, cause ~100,000 illnesses, 3,000 hospitalizations, and 90 deaths annually in the United States alone.”  According to the study, the only effective method currently to eliminate E. coli in meat and produce is to use thermal inactiviation, but the cost of using this method is it negatively affects both the taste and quality of the food. 

The study results show that using a spray mixture of colicins from plants that have been genetically modified and are able to “demonstrate very high levels of colicin expression,” such as tobacco and edible plants such as spinach, drastically reduced E. coli bacteria on meat.   

If the plant-produced colicins spray mixture is to be used for commercial use in the U.S., it will need to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as generally recognized as safe (GRAS).  

Study Indicates COOL Influences Customer Decisions

Written by Katharine Richter

 In a study conducted by the University of Arkansas, Department of Marketing, it was concluded that country-of-origin labeling (COOL) did exert influence on consumer decisions when purchasing meat products.

According to the study, customers were more likely to purchase meat labeled as a product of the United States.  According to a press release from the National Farmers Union (NFU), “Opponents of COOL have argued that it has no impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions.  This study clearly shows the opposite: that consumers use COOL to draw inferences related to a food product’s safety, taste and freshness.” 

The NFU is advocating for Congress to not repeal COOL and “continue to provide consumers with information they use to make informed decisions about what they eat.”  The House of Representatives, on June 10, 2015, passed a bill repealing COOL regulations on beef, chicken and pork and the Senate is proposing alternative programs to COOL, such as a voluntary “Product of the U.S. Label.”