Newswise — Zemco Industries has recalled thousands of pounds of deli meats that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
Texas Tech University food safety expert Mindy Brashears can provide advice for avoiding foodborne illnesses and discuss new technology underway reduce or eliminate harmful pathogens in meats and eggs.
Brashears is director of Texas Tech’s International Center for Food Industry Excellence and a professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences.
She is the recipient of millions of dollars in federal commodity and research grants that have helped develop new technologies to reduce or eliminate foodborne pathogens. She has developed treatments including a lactic acid bacteria shown to nearly eliminate salmonella and E. coli during long-term storage without affecting the flavor or the shelf life of the products.
Among her most recent breakthroughs is MicroZAP, which uses directional microwaves delivered at varying doses and intensities in order to target disease-causing microorganisms in foods such as beef, poultry and eggs. The technology has even demonstrated the ability to kill deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Zemco Industries sold the deli meats to Wal-Mart Stores. The meats were used in Marketside Grab and Go sandwiches.
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