Improving ready-to-eat meat food safety

Fatih Sekercioglu and Ian Young, professors in the School of Occupational and Public Health, have received $149,841 in funding from the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (external link)  for their project: “Improving Ready-to-Eat Meat Food Safety in Ontario Meat Processing Plants: A Positive Deviance Approach.”

Food safety deficiencies in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat processing plants, such as improper hygiene and sanitation procedures, inadequate pathogen-reduction measures, and cross-contamination, can lead to an increased risk of meat contamination. Meat contamination can, in turn, lead to outbreaks of food-borne disease, such as listeriosis. In 2019, approximately 10% of meat processing plants in Ontario received a conditional annual compliance audit pass. 

To reduce the risk of food-borne disease for consumers, the researchers plan to identify practical ways to achieve food safety behaviour change within the industry through the experiences of those with robust and effective food safety systems.

"This research will use an innovative approach, called positive deviance, to support behaviour change and increased adoption of food safety practices in the Ontario ready-to-eat meat processing sector,” says Young. This approach assumes that solutions for the successful implementation of food safety practices already exist within the industry.  

“We will identify and highlight food safety success stories within the industry, and share and promote them through digital storytelling videos,” he continues. “Overall these activities will lead to enhanced food safety within the industry, reducing the risk of food-borne illness associated with the consumption of ready-to-eat meats." 

The first phase of the research will identify common food safety deficiencies in the sector and important meat plant characteristics related to higher food safety performance. The second phase will summarize the key factors necessary for successful implementation of food safety practices and good manufacturing practices. The final phase will highlight and share critical success factors through digital storytelling.

“It is critical for meat processing facilities to implement important food safety and good manufacturing practices to reduce consumers’ risks of food-borne illness," says Sekercioglu. “Food-borne disease can have substantial costs to society and the meat industry.”

“Congratulations to professors Ian Young and Fatih Sekercioglu on receiving this important funding,” says Jennifer Martin, associate dean, graduate studies and scholarly, research and creative activity, FCS. “Research projects such as this one provide innovative, practical contributions that will move us toward a better future.”

The Ontario Agri-food Research Initiative provides funding to advance key agri-food research and innovation projects for Ontario. The initiative is jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. 

The initiative has funded 21 projects in 2020-21 through a $2.76 million investment (external link)  to provide Ontarians with safer, healthier, and more locally grown and made food items while boosting trade and rural economic development.

Are you a professor in the Faculty of Community Services who has received an external research grant? We want to hear from you! Please contact mmcgreevy@torontomu.ca to explore how we can promote your work.