And the good news is...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved the use of Activated Lactoferrin on fresh beef.

According to an article in Southern Livestock Standard, by Martha Holliday Garrett, it could be the most important development yet in the meat industry's fight against deadly pathogens and other bacteria.

The meat processors have installed a number of systems to assure cleanliness and reduce the possibility of microbial contamination over the past few years. The techniques now in use do a good job: such as the steam chest and washing. But there is always some possibility of contamination. The reality of taking a 1300 pound animal from an unclean environment, that is covered with hair and expecting it to be totally free of contaminates after slaughter is nearly impossible.

If you follow an animal through the slaughter process, from live to box, one can see the difficulty in maintaining the safety record that exists.

Research indicates Activated Lactoferrin removes more than 99 percent of harmful bacteria present on the surface of meat. Testing, also shows Activated Lactoferrin inhibits the growth of bacteria on sub-primals and whole muscle case-ready beef products by more than 99 percent when held at room temperature for a 24-hour period.

Use of Lactoferrin is unique in two ways: A coating of the Lactoferrin on fresh meat provides ongoing protection until the meat is consumed -- and it is an all natural product. Lactoferrin is present in mammalian milk, tears, saliva and tissue. It acts as a key element in defense against pathogens and is passed from mother to infant to protect offspring from infection. It is extracted commercially from skim milk or whey. Lactoferrin is a key ingredient in many functional food products, health supplements and sports beverages.

Approval by the USDA moved the technology one step closer to the consumer. Commercial application of Activated Lactoferrin is scheduled to start late this coming summer. "USDA approval, is a significant milestone for Activated Lactoferrin and marks the final regulatory step needed to bring this food safety technology to market," said Eric Hale, president ALF Ventures, LLC, a partnership between Farmland National Beef Packing Company L.P. and Netherlands based DMV International, who has the worldwide exclusive rights to Activated Lactoferrin for use in food safety.

According to Hale, Activated Lactoferrin will be available to beef processors worldwide, who want to use the technology to improve the safety of their beef products.

Farmland National Beef, (FNB) the nations largest producer owned beef processor with a 10 percent market share and fourth largest beef processor, spearheaded the initiative and expects to be the first company to offer fresh beef protected by Activated Lactoferrin.

Farmland and partner DMV International have spent more than four million dollars and four years to develop Lactoferrin for commercial use. Predictions are that the use of Lactoferrin will become standard in the meat industry worldwide within a few years. A cabinet spray system will be used for coating carcasses or a spray system to apply Lactoferrin to boxed beef sub-primals just before they are vacuum packaged.

Research conducted at Oklahoma State University shows Activated Lactoferrin does not affect the taste, texture, color, aging qualities or nutritional qualities of beef.