Shiga Toxins Stay in the Forefront of E. coli Research

In consideration of Objective 5, risk management and communication, bilingual (English and Spanish) online training modules on pre- and post-harvest STEC prevention in beef and veal were developed and made publicly available. “The modules, intended for employees in agriculture and the food service industry, have the ability to provide electronic tracking of training,” Dr. Moxley mentions. “Other STEC topic-based educational modules have been developed and made available as upper-level undergraduate and graduate distance education courses at several universities. Extension personnel produced an instructional video entitled “E. coli Sampling for Beef Carcasses” for use by plant employees, and hosted several workshops.”

Another project has documented the impact of more effective ways of delivering safe handling education and positive deviance intervention as an alternative to traditional methods of food safety education for people at an increased risk for foodborne illness. “Additionally, educators and their teams partnered with over 70 food science club students at five participating universities and trained them in engaging with tailgaters, collecting data, and answering questions related to beef safety,” Dr. Moxley says. “Social media effectively reached the public with food safety messages including STEC. A social media website has 71,000 subscribers and 13,813 archives. A food safety message for the public that stresses cooking burgers to 160 degrees Fahrenheit was created and is available as an animated video. This is being shared on theatre screens and via radio and Pandora ads in Fayetteville, North Carolina.”

For Students and Teachers

For overall communication, the website for STEC CAP has been maintained and updated through the project and continues to deliver STEC risk and other related information to the public. “More than 50 graduate students have MS or PhD degrees in progress or have completed their degrees through STEC CAP funded assistantships and projects,” Dr. Moxley mentions. “In addition, 103 interns, primarily undergraduate students, completed research or education projects that addressed the objectives and 429 externships were provided.”

Seven secondary education teacher workshops led to the development of new curricula approved by both the Nebraska and Kansas Departments of Education. “The curricula are a series of courses taught in more than 100 middle and high schools in Nebraska and Kansas, and involve inquiry-based learning with information on STEC causing foodborne illness included within courses in food science and human nutrition,” Dr. Moxley explains. “Additional workshops at the Souderton Area School District (SASD) in Pennsylvania resulted in initial steps in implementation there. To build the pipeline of future professionals, the project further partnered with SASD to promote and expand their Pathway 360° Program, which engages students from 8th to 12th grades and includes career exploration courses, job shadowing, mentorship, and presentations.”

“It is clear that the STEC CAP is having major, cross-functional impacts on beef safety research and education, with positive public health implications continuing for years to come,” Dr. Moxley boasts. “With targeted research, outreach, and communication goals and mechanisms, the evidence-based work of STEC CAP is being extended into multiple communities across several states and universities through this strategic partnership.”