Fresh-cut projects among USDA food safety grants

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has funded 35 research projects totaling nearly $24 million to improve food safety by helping control microbial and chemical contamination in various foods.

The awards were given to projects in four groupings, including a set that will look at improving the safety of fresh and fresh-cut produce. The grant winners and their projects include:

• Virginia Tech: Investigating and Enhancing Positive Food Safety Culture in Farmers' Markets, $424,955
• University of Arkansas: Enhancing Farmers Market Flood Safety Practices for Fresh Produce Handling, $414,185
• Purdue University: Protective Surface Coating to Reduce Bacterial Load of Fresh and Fresh-Cut Produce: Cantaloupe as a Model, $423,204
• Iowa State University: Mitigating Risks of Foodborne Illness Associated with Handling Leafy Greens in Retail Foodservice Establishments Serving Aging Populations, $424,846
• University of Idaho: Food Safety Education and Behavioral Changes Among Deaf and Hard of Hearing Population: A Model Study, $424,930
• University of Maryland: Reducing On-Farm Enteric Pathogens through Cropping Methods and Improved Food Safety Training, $424,999
• University of Wisconsin: The Final Mile –  Safe, Fresh Produce For Those in Need, $424,983
• University of Houston: Development of Effective Behavior Based Standard Operating Procedures for Fresh and Fresh Cut Produce, $304,163
• North Dakota State University: Dynamics of Listeria Monocytogenes Populations in Environmental Reservoirs in the Preharvest Environment of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables            , $147,603
• Lincoln University, Missouri: Safeguard Fresh and Fresh Cut Vegetables in situ through Multi Pathogen Endophytic Bacillus Subtilis, $147,110
• Western Kentucky University: An Integrated Approach to Enhance the Safety of Locally Grown Fresh Produce through Research and Extension, $209,928

The other project groupings include addressing critical and emerging food safety issues, effective mitigation standards for antimicrobial resistance and physical and molecular mechanisms of food contamination.

“Foodborne illness affects approximately one in six Americans each year, making USDA’s investment in food safety science a high priority that will have direct impact on thousands of lives,” said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA’s director. “Our goal is to reduce the number of illnesses and protect the food supply through research, education and Extension efforts focused on all levels of the food chain – from farm to fork.”

NIFA made the awards through its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s (AFRI) Food Safety program. The program’s goal is to protect consumers from microbial and chemical contaminants that may occur in the food chain, from production to consumption.

AFRI is NIFA’s flagship competitive grants program and was established under the 2008 Farm Bill. The five AFRI challenge areas – food safety, global food security, childhood obesity prevention, sustainable bioenergy and climate adaptation – advance fundamental sciences and deliver science-based knowledge to people, allowing them to make informed practical decisions.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and Extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.