In our piece Fighting E. coli At The Source, we discussed research in Canada regarding a new vaccine for cattle that could significantly reduce the level of E. coli 0157:H7 in cattle. Well that vaccine has now been approved for release in Canada:
“This makes Canada the first country in the world to have access to a vaccine for control of E. coli O157:H7,” said VIDO Director Lorne Babiuk.
The vaccine is the first to be released from VIDO’s food safety program, which aims to protect human health through advanced animal health treatments. Studies show the new vaccine greatly reduces the amount of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria shed by cattle into their environment. This in turn lessens the chances of contamination of water supplies, and helps ensure greater safety of food products destined for grocery shelves.
Of course the way to motivate cattle owners to use such a vaccine would be to, as our letter writer urged yesterday, and as the Pundit earlier urged here, make the owners of cows legally responsible for the way they handle the manure.
