Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #224725
Title: Research Needs and Future Directions

Author
item Niemira, Brendan
item Fan, Xuetong
item GRAVANI, ROBERT - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item DOONA, CHRISTOPHER - US ARMY-NATICK SOLDIER
item FEHERRY, FLORENCE - US ARMY-NATICK SOLDIER

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2008
Publication Date: 8/1/2009
Citation: Niemira, B.A., Fan, X., Gravani, R., Doona, C., Feherry, F. 2009. Research Needs and Future Directions. In Fan, X., Niemira, B.A., Doona, C.J., Feeherry, F., Gravani, R.B. editors. Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce. Ames, IA: Blackwell. 23:421-426.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The food safety challenges facing the growers, processors and consumers of fresh and fresh cut produce are complex and multi-faceted. Established and ongoing research has given new insights into the ways in which produce can be contaminated at any step in the supply chain. The goal of future research is to develop means by which the risk of contaminants can be further reduced. This chapter will summarize the topics presented in the various sections of this book, and highlight key areas of future research. These research needs are presented as a series of specific questions related to on-farm practices, pathogen ecology, pre-harvest and post-harvest strategies, and other approaches related to pathogen exclusion, containment and eradication. By presenting a clear, prioritized direction for future inquiries, the financial resources and human capital of government, industry and academia can best be focused on the most important and potentially beneficial lines of research.