Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have found no reason to believe the use of distillers grains as livestock feed poses a food safety concern.
This report comes after some headlines a few months ago suggested that feeding the ethanol co-product distillers grains would increase E. coli in cattle -- which could increase the chance of meat contamination during processing.
The researchers presented their findings at the Distillers Grains Technology Council meeting this week in Kansas City. After reviewing research by Kansas State and previous research at UNL, they concluded that distiller grains have had no “demonstrably consistent” effect on E. coli shedding from livestock. They also said that data are inconsistent -- and that more research is needed.
“At this point, there is no scientific evidence that feeding distillers grains, at least at levels being used commercially, is the cause of a food safety crisis,” they conclude. “Additionally, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that the feeding of DGs is the cause of the 2007 recalls.”
The National Corn Growers has posted a copy of the report here.
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