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In late summer, up to 28% of cattle entering processing plants may carry with them strains of the E. coli bacterium that cause food poisoning in humans, according to an Agricultural Research Service study, according to just-released findings from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS, www.ars.gov ).

ARS said on Monday that its scientists at its Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, NE, found the microbe's prevalence to be higher than previously believed. Research also showed that processing plants can take measures to reduce the incidence of E. coli 0157:H7 on beef carcasses to less than 2% even in the peak contamination season of July and August.

The study will be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (www.nas.edu) on March 28.

The study, conducted by scientists at included examination of E. coli shed in the feces of live cattle as well as microbes on beef carcasses in commercial processing plants.

During the summer E. coli peak, 28% of the live cattle entering the processing plants were actively shedding E. coli 0157:H7 in their feces and 43% of 341 carcasses were initially contaminated with the bacterium. Eleven percent of hide surfaces were also contaminated with the bacterium. After processing was complete, only six of 330 carcasses, or 1.8%, showed some level of contamination.