The Foundation said the databases provided a critical resource to lesser-known meat firms, which might not have the resources to meet Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) requirements.
The first database, created in partnership with the University of Wisconsin, will be used to describe interventions used to reduce microbiological risk in processed meat products.
The second database, developed in collaboration with Texas A&M University, presents scientific literature detailing various interventions and antimicrobials at a range of applicable concentrations on fresh beef, veal, pork, lamb and poultry products.
Interventions addressed in the databases included heat, pH control, chemical and clean-label inhibitors, high-pressure processing and irradiation, among others.
E. coli O157:H7, non-O157 shiga toxin-producing E. coli, salmonella, campylobacter and listeria monocytogenes are among the microbial pathogens covered in the databases.
The Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education is a non-profit research, education and information organisation, established to study ways the meat and poultry industry can produce better, safer products and operate more efficiently.
“By using these databases, establishments will be equipped to meet HACCP requirements and can more easily identify the most optimal antimicrobial and other interventions to ensure product safety,” said Foundation president Susan Backus.
Both projects were funded partly by the Beef Checkoff, and future updates will be made to both databases to reflect new research findings.