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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #300457
Title: Bacterial adhesion to surfaces and microbial safety of fresh produce

Author
item Niemira, Brendan

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/18/2013
Publication Date: 11/19/2013
Citation: Niemira, B.A. 2013. Bacterial adhesion to surfaces and microbial safety of fresh produce. Meeting Abstract, COST ACTION FA1202 BAC FOOD NET, Prague, CZ, 11/27-28, 2013.,Volume 1, Page 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Consumption of fresh produce is a central component of a healthy diet. However, contamination of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables such as leafy greens, tomatoes, cantaloupes is a source of ongoing concern for consumers. Growers, packers, processors and retailers work to control the incidence of human pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. Despite industry identification of and response to many known risk factors, product recalls and food-borne illnesses associated with fruits and vegetables continue. This presentation will provide an overview of the most important produce-associated events of recent years. Significant research problems facing producers and processors will be presented and discussed. Conventional treatments for fresh produce have typically been able to achieve 1-2 logs reductions. A summary will be provided of promising novel approaches, improved physical and chemical treatments and nonthermal technologies suitable for application to fresh produce.