2 weeks Ago By News Desk
The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) is launching 14 new research projects totaling more than $3.3 million to address critical food safety challenges in the fresh produce industry. The projects, which are set to begin in January 2025, are led by investigators from eight states in the U.
S. and Mexico. CPS’s latest research efforts focus on key issues such as flood setback distances, brush sanitation, and the coexistence of plants and animals, with a specific emphasis on pathogens like E.
coli O157, Salmonella, Cyclospora and hepatitis A. “These research initiatives were made possible by the generosity of industry contributors to CPS’s Campaign for Research and grants from the Specialty Crop Block Grant Programs in California, Florida, Texas, and Washington. Their support is essential for CPS to continue funding science, finding solutions, and driving change in produce safety,” said Joe Pezzini, chair of CPS’s board of directors and senior director of agricultural operations for Taylor Farms.
The projects were selected through CPS’s annual call for research proposals, which addresses the most pressing scientific needs in the produce industry. To ensure the research aligns with industry priorities, proposals were carefully reviewed and refined by CPS’s Technical Committee and other experts. The projects are expected to be completed within one to two years, and findings will be shared with the industry through CPS’s annual Research Symposium and other channels.
One project, led by Abby Snyder, Ph.D., from Cornell University, aims to better understand the factors that support Salmonella growth in onions.
“We hope these findings provide scientific evidence to support the industry in identifying factors that contribute to risk,” said Snyder. Lee-Ann Jaykus, Ph.D.
, Emerita from North Carolina State University, is leading another project focused on developing an infectious hepatitis A virus screening assay. “We will be working with our berry industry collaborators to design a more relevant method that allows for understanding of the true public health risk of positive results,” said Jaykus. The research spans a wide range of topics, from improving sanitation methods to developing new tools for pathogen detection.
The outcomes of these projects are expected to have significant implications across the fresh produce supply chain, contributing to enhanced food safety protocols and practices. Grant Recipients: Chetan Badgujar, Ph.D.
, University of Tennessee Teresa M. Bergholz, Ph.D.
, Michigan State University Aaron Bivins, Ph.D., Louisiana State University Kerry Cooper, Ph.
D., University of Arizona Govindaraj Dev Kumar, Ph.D.
, University of Georgia Lee-Ann Jaykus, Ph.D., Emerita, North Carolina State University Asis Khan, Ph.
D., USDA-ARS Scott Lenaghan, Ph.D.
, University of Tennessee Channah Rock, Ph.D., University of Arizona Jose Santos Garcia Alvarado, Ph.
D., Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon Abby Snyder, Ph.D.
, Cornell University Abby Snyder, Ph.D., Cornell University Martin Wiedmann, Ph.
D., Cornell University Martin Wiedmann, Ph.D.
, Cornell University For more information on CPS’s research initiatives and a full list of funded projects, visit their website at www.centerforproducesafety.org .
About CPS : The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to providing the produce industry and government with open access to actionable information aimed at enhancing the safety of fresh produce. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here. ).
