# Disclipine A: Microbiology - Analytical Track Animal Food Product and Environmental Testing

> **NIH FDA U19** · TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH · 2020 · $205,000

## Abstract

Abstract 
PROJECT TWO: Texas Animal Food Product and Environmental Testing for Microbiological 
Hazards 
Office of the Texas State Chemist (OTSC) has the ability to screen and/or confirm the following 
organisms: Salmonella spp. in animal food, animal food ingredients, biosolids, human food; 
Shiga like toxin producing E.coli (STEC) O157:H7 and non-O157 in animal food, animal food 
ingredients and human food; Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk, animal food and animal food 
ingredients, human food; SEB in raw milk, Brucella spp. antigen in raw milk, ricin toxin via 
Tetracore ELISA, Shigella spp. in human food, Bacillus anthracis sterne in human food, 
Staphylococcal enterotoxins in human food, T-2 toxin and alpha- amanitin by LCMSMS. The 
microlab received BSL3 training in screening methodologies of Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia 
pestis at USAMRIID facility, Ft Detrick, MD in 2018 and are moving forward to establish this 
method (screening and confirmatory) at OTSC facility. The OTSC-AAS microbiology lab is in 
process of bringing its microbiology capabilities under the OTSC ISO/IEC 17025:2017 scope 
which will occur prior to project startup. The OTSC Animal Food Product and Environmental 
Testing, Microbiology testing project plan includes: 1) collecting samples by OTSC field 
investigators using approved sampling methodology and chain-of-custody, 2) analyzing 500 
samples for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, and 50 samples for prohibited mammalian 
tissue, 3) reporting presumptive positives within 1 day and confirmatory results within 3 days, 
and 4) removal of contaminated product from the market. As an outcome of this project, Texas 
animal food surveillance of microbiological hazards will be strengthened, scope of ISO 
accreditation expanded, laboratory capacity and capability increased, and surveillance of animal 
food for microbiological hazards will reduce risk and product adulteration from these 
contaminants.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10160664
- **Project number:** 1U19FD007097-01
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH
- **Principal Investigator:** TIMOTHY JOHN HERRMAN
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $205,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10160664

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10160664, Disclipine A: Microbiology - Analytical Track Animal Food Product and Environmental Testing (1U19FD007097-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10160664. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*