June 8, 2023

USDA ARS launches Salmonella Grand Challenge to combat foodborne illness

The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has launched the Salmonella Grand Challenge, bringing together a diverse group of scientists from various fields to study the causes and high-risk areas of Salmonella contamination in meat and poultry products, ultimately working towards the prevention of salmonellosis, Meat + Poultry reported.

The Salmonella Grand Challenge seek to contribute to the US Healthy People goal of reducing Salmonella infections by 25% by the year 2030.

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, salmonellosis leads to approximately 20,000 hospitalisations and 400 deaths annually. Poultry products are responsible for an estimated 23% of all salmonellosis cases, as reported by the ARS.

Tommy Wheeler, research leader at the ARS US Meat Animal Research Centre, said that this team will make significant strides in developing improved tools and information that can be utilised by the meat and poultry industries to mitigate the risk of salmonellosis in their products.

Comprised of 18 ARS scientists representing eight different fields of expertise and six national program areas, the Salmonella Grand Challenge has formed strategic partnerships with five USDA agencies and engaged 22 stakeholders spanning various commodities and scales of operations.

The team will employ machine learning-based modelling techniques to integrate their 12 distinct research projects, incorporating valuable feedback from industry stakeholders. Through the utilisation of harmonized datasets, the ARS envisions the team gaining a comprehensive understanding of overarching trends, emerging threats, and effective mitigation strategies in combating Salmonella contamination.

-      Meat + Poultry