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Costs of Improving Food Safety in the Meat Sector

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2015

Helen H. Jensen
Affiliation:
Iowa State University
Laurian J. Unnevehr
Affiliation:
Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois
Miguel I. Gómez
Affiliation:
Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois

Abstract

Recently enacted food safety regulations require processors to meet product standards for microbial contamination in meat products. An analysis of the cost-effectiveness of several technological interventions for microbial control in beef and pork processing shows that marginal improvements in food safety can be obtained, but at increasing costs. The additional food safety intervention costs represent about 1% of total processing costs for beef and pork. Some interventions and combinations are more cost-effective than others.

Type
Invited Paper Sessions
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 1998

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