020113 USDA Approves Use of Activated Lactoferrin on Fresh BeefJanuary 10, 2002Kansas City, MO - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the use of activated lactoferrin on fresh beef, providing beef processors with a revolutionary food safety technology that protects consumers from harmful bacteria. Activated lactoferrin is an all-natural protein found in milk and dairy products. It has been shown to protect fresh beef against E. coli O157:H7 and more than 30 different types of pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella and Campylobacter. The technology is unique in that it prevents pathogenic bacteria from attaching to meat surfaces, in addition to preventing growth. “USDA approval is a significant milestone for activated lactoferrin and marks the final regulatory step needed to bring this food safety technology to market,” said Eric Hale, President, aLF Ventures, LLC, a partnership between Farmland National Beef Packing Company L.P. and DMV International. “This is great news for consumers, who ultimately will benefit from the enhanced safety it will bring to the beef they enjoy.” According to Hale, activated lactoferrin will be available to beef processors worldwide who want to use the technology to improve the safety of their beef products. Farmland National Beef, the nation's largest producer-owned beef processor, expects to be the first company to offer fresh beef protected by activated lactoferrin, once final application systems development and testing is completed. “Food safety continues to be a top priority for Farmland National Beef,” said John Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Farmland National Beef. “The approval of activated lactoferrin moves this exciting new technology one step closer to the consumer.” Cees de Jong, Managing Director of DMV International, said, “With this approval, we will now prepare to increase production of lactoferrin in anticipation of the consumer demand to be generated by activated lactoferrin. We are pleased we can help improve food safety for millions of consumers worldwide.” aLF Ventures, LLC, is a joint venture between Farmland National Beef and DMV International and holds the worldwide exclusive rights to activated lactoferrin for use in food safety. Dr. A.S. “Narain” Naidu, a medical microbiologist with more than 20 years of experience researching antimicrobials, patented the technology and leads N-terminus, aLF Ventures' food safety research laboratory in Pomona, Calif. Farmland National Beef Packing Company, Kansas City, Mo., is the nation's largest beef packing company that is fully owned by producers. Its owners are members of U.S. Premium Beef Ltd., a producer-owned beef marketing cooperative, and Farmland Industries, Inc., the largest farmer-owned cooperative in North America. Farmland National Beef is the fourth-largest beef packing company in the United States, with operations in Liberal, Kan., and Dodge City, Kan. The company, with annual sales of $3 billion, processes and markets fresh beef products for domestic and international markets.
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