Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico has joined a large federal grant study aimed at reducing toxic E. coli contamination in the U.S. beef supply.
According to a Los Alamos news release, a team of researchers will focus on early detection efforts and multiple-sampling capability to speed response time. The scientists believe they can screen multiple samples for multiple Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) markers simultaneously rather than the current method of one marker at a time. The Los Alamos team will use a waveguide-based bio-sensor as its platform for STEC detection.
“The goal of this research is to identify and control STEC within the beef chain and substantially mitigate the risk of STEC infections associated with beef products through cutting-edge research, outreach, and education,” said Dr. Harshini Mukundan, a chemist working on the project.
The Los Alamos team and the New Mexico Consortium join an overall $25 million grant study headed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to reduce the occurrence and public health risks from Shiga toxin-producing E. coli along the entire beef production chain. The LANL-NMC portion of the grant totals $1 million for three years.
