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P3-83 Rotational Grazing of Sheep within Organic Crop Fields: What is an Ideal Waiting Period to Minimize Food Safety Risks?

Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Exhibit Hall (Tampa Convention Center)
Laura Patterson , University of California-Davis, Department of Population Health & Reproduction , Davis , CA
Nora Navarro-Gonzalez , University of California-Davis, Western Center for Food Safety , Davis , CA
Peiman Aminabadi , Western Center for Food Safety, University of California , Davis , CA
Elizabeth Antaki , Western Center for Food Safety, University of California-Davis , Davis , CA
Michele Jay-Russell , Western Center for Food Safety, University of California , Davis , CA
Alda Pires , Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California , Davis , CA
Introduction:  Integrated crop-livestock farms raise livestock and crops and use animals to graze cover crops. These operations are considered sustainable because grazing enhances soil fertility. However, manure deposited by livestock may introduce foodborne pathogens into the soil.

Purpose:  The objectives of this study focused on assessing the die-off of generic Escherichia coli in the soil, after fields were grazed by sheep; determining the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in the sheep; and assessing the genetic relatedness between E. coli isolates from soil and sheep feces.

Methods:  Sheep grazed cover crops at an organic farm prior to planting Field A (onions) and Field B (melons). Fecal samples (n=24) were collected from sheep on day 0 and 56. Soil samples (n=192) were collected weekly for the first five weeks, then monthly for eight visits total. Escherichia coli strains were compared by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

Results:  Results showed a 3.0-log reduction of mean generic E. coli concentration (Most Probable Number, MPN) in the soil from the peak of 3.7 log MPN/g at 48 days post sheep (DPS) grazing to 0.67 log MPN/g by 111 DPS in Field A. Field B showed a 2.6-log reduction of mean generic E. coli concentration from the peak of 3.5 log MPN/g at 14 DPS to 0.95 log MPN/g by 84 DPS. STEC prevalence in the sheep flock was 4.2% (1 of 24). Closely related E. coli strains were found in soil and feces.

Significance:  Developing research-based waiting periods between grazing and harvest is important to inform best practices for farmers and food safety stakeholders. Although conditions vary by season and region, this study indicates that the mean generic E. coli MPN/g levels in the soil after grazing are below 1.0 log MPN/g by the 120 day standard used by the USDA National Organic Program for raw manure application.

Back to: Poster Session 3 – Low-water Activity Foods, Packaging, Produce, Microbial Food Spoilage, Antimicrobials, Laboratory and Detection Methods, Water
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