Purdue News

November 11, 1999 This is a story idea from the Purdue News Service. To arrange interviews or campus visits, contact Steve Tally at his office, (765) 494-9809, at home, (765) 463-4355, or by e-mail at tally@aes.purdue.edu Purdue experts can discuss reports about increased threat of e-coli in beef A new breakthrough in methodology regarding the detection of e-coli in processed beef (ground beef) has raised eyebrows with the new statistic that half of all ground beef may be contaminated with a deadly strain known as 0157:H7. Three Purdue experts can discuss the issue and its consumer safety implications: • Richard H. Linton is an associate professor of food science who researches microbial heat resistance and has written an Extension Service publication about the 0157:H7 strain. It is on the Web. Linton can answer questions about beef safety. His office number is (765) 494-7892. (He will be traveling tonight and Friday, but can be reached on his cellular phone at (765) 427-1269.) • Arun Bhunia, assistant professor of food science, is an expert in microbial food safety and rapid detection and identification of foodborne bacteria. A specialist in e-coli research, Bhunia is a co-author with Linton of the article about 0157:H7. He can be reached at his office, (765) 494-5443, or home, (765) 497-4863. • Jeffrey Armstrong, head of the Department of Animal Sciences and a general expert on beef production and beef physiology, can comment on the ramifications of e-coli for both consumers and beef producers. Armstrong's office phone is (765) 494-4808, his home number is (765) 497-7002. To the Purdue News and Photos Page