Re: food irradiation related question

[fearp@VAX.CS.HSCSYR.EDU (Peter Fear)]

E. coli is part of the natural flora of the gut of most vertebates however
one strain does cause illness in humans but probably not in cattle. A
different strain in bacteria is much like a different breed in dogs and
cats.

If you inoculate the food with the non-pathogenic strains, over a period of
time you will increase the percentage of the non-pathogenic to the
pathogenic since the gut of the animal will only allow a certain number of
the E. coli to survive. According to what was posted earlier, you should
see most of the pathogenic bacteria disappear in about 2 weeks. From what I
know (in my previous life I was a grad student in microbial genetics) it
probably should work.

However I have problems with people messing with the natural ecology. After
all remember what happened when they accidently added Africanized bees to
the ecosystem in Brazil and starlings and English sparrows and...

Pete

> Radsafers,
>
> A long time ago I was a practicing biologist (Ph.D) and without digging up
> exact references, the woman who wants to add benign bacteria to cattle feed
> SHOULD go back and dig up exact references.  E. coli is part of the natural
> gut flora and fauna (humans and a myriad of other vertebrate species as well).
> First, it cannot be replaced by a "benign" species (whatever that is); second,
> IF it could, I'm sure the host organism would not be very happy.
>
> Bob Kulikowski
>
> PS - Glad to see NYC is not the only harbor for persons with such thoughts.

Peter Fear
Radiation Safety Office
SUNY Health Science Center
750 E. Adams St.
Syracuse, NY 13210

(315)464-6510
fearp@vax.cs.hscsyr.edu