USDA to fund safety research for small meat plants - US - The US Department of Agriculture's food safety division has invited researchers to apply for grants of up to $75,000 to develop technologies to help small meat, poultry, and egg product plants meet food safety requirements.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said it wants to find and develop new technologies that will be cost-effective for small or very small slaughter and processing operations. New technologies include new applications of existing equipment and methods, the agency said.

The FSIS is seeking proposals from state, academic, and research institutions, which would receive funding under 1-year cooperative agreements. The agency will participate in managing projects, officials said.

The announcement said the agency is especially interested in technologies for controlling Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. The deadline for submitting proposals is Apr 16.

Source: Cidrap News - 2nd April 2004