Food safety and organic meats

Annu Rev Food Sci Technol. 2012:3:203-25. doi: 10.1146/annurev-food-022811-101158. Epub 2011 Nov 10.

Abstract

The organic meat industry in the United States has grown substantially in the past decade in response to consumer demand for nonconventionally produced products. Consumers are often not aware that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic standards are based only on the methods used for production and processing of the product and not on the product's safety. Food safety hazards associated with organic meats remain unclear because of the limited research conducted to determine the safety of organic meat from farm-to-fork. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the published results on the microbiological safety of organic meats. In addition, antimicrobial resistance of microbes in organic food animal production is addressed. Determining the food safety risks associated with organic meat production requires systematic longitudinal studies that quantify the risks of microbial and nonmicrobial hazards from farm-to-fork.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animal Husbandry / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Animal Husbandry / standards
  • Animals
  • Animals, Domestic / growth & development
  • Animals, Domestic / microbiology
  • Food Safety*
  • Food, Organic / adverse effects*
  • Food, Organic / analysis
  • Food, Organic / microbiology
  • Food, Organic / standards
  • Legislation, Food
  • Meat / adverse effects*
  • Meat / analysis
  • Meat / microbiology
  • Meat / standards
  • United States
  • United States Department of Agriculture