Cargill Invests $8 Million in Food Safety, Beef Packaging

FRESNO, Calif.Cargill has invested $8 million at its Fresno beef production facility to expand its extensive food-safety efforts, and renovate and expand some packaging lines.

The company invested $4.2 million to install a hide-on-carcass wash that closely resembles a carwash for cattle in which the hides of animals are scrubbed with spinning bristles and a mild bromine solution that kills bacteria at the beginning of the harvesting process. This process helps better assure removal of dirt and debris while washing the animal's exterior, thereby minimizing the potential for contamination from bacteria that potentially pose a health risk to humans. The hide-on-carcass wash is used in concert with numerous food safety measures already in place aimed at reducing bacteria such as E-coli O157: H7.

The company also invested $3.8 million for the renovation and expansion of some ground beef packaging lines at the facility. Finished products include packages of fresh ground beef that are transported by refrigerated trucks from the Cargill facility to distribution centers, then directly to grocery store meat cases. New equipment has been installed in the production area that enables the packaging lines to operate more effectively and efficiently to meet customer needs.

"People expect safe food, and Cargill's Fresno beef facility prides itself on producing safe, fresh, quality meat products," said John Niemann, vice president and general manager. "Food safety is a top priority at Cargill that we take seriously every minute the facility is operating. Our shared goal, together with others in the industry, as well as federal regulatory agencies, is to continuously develop and implement new and better measures that further improve food safety."