CPS invests $3.3 million in new food safety research

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) has launched 14 new research projects totaling over $3.3 million, aimed at tackling key food safety issues in the fresh produce industry.

The projects, set to begin in January 2025, address pressing concerns such as flood setback distances, brush sanitation and plant-animal co-existence, with a focus on pathogens like E. coli O157, Salmonella, Cyclospora, and hepatitis A.

These initiatives were selected through CPS’s rigorous annual review process and are spearheaded by researchers across eight U.S. states and Mexico. The research is expected to yield significant insights and improvements across the produce supply chain, enhancing safety and operational practices.

Joe Pezzini, CPS Board Chair and senior director of ag operations at Taylor Farms, highlighted the crucial role of industry contributions and grants from Specialty Crop Block Grant Programs in making these projects possible.

“Their support allows us to fund essential research and drive change in produce safety,” said Pezzini.

Notable projects include Abby Snyder, Ph.D. of Cornell University’s investigation into Salmonella risks in onions and Lee-Ann Jaykus, Ph.D. of North Carolina State University’s development of a hepatitis A virus screening assay. These studies aim to provide actionable data for the industry, helping to mitigate risks and improve safety measures.

Grant recipients

• Chetan Badgujar, Ph.D., University of Tennessee: Developing an automated and digital tool for integrated bird pest management in fresh produce fields
• Teresa M. Bergholz, Ph.D., Michigan State University: Genomic and phenotypic assessment of E. coli O157:H7 REPEXH02 strains
• Aaron Bivins, Ph.D., Louisiana State University: Hydrogel affinity particles to enable high throughput screening of soft fruits for intact HAV virions
• Kerry Cooper, Ph.D., University of Arizona: How does weather influence transmission of E. coli O157:H7 from animal operations to produce fields?
• Govindaraj Dev Kumar, Ph.D., University of Georgia: Color and material optimization of brushes for improved light-based sanitation
• Lee-Ann Jaykus, Ph.D., Emerita, North Carolina State University: Development of a screening assay for hepatitis A virus which correlates to infectivity
• Asis Khan, Ph.D., USDA-ARS: An immunomagnetic separation method for concentrating and increasing the recovery efficiency of Cyclospora
• Scott Lenaghan, Ph.D., University of Tennessee: Validation of novel DNA isolation procedures from limited numbers of Cyclospora oocysts
• Channah Rock, Ph.D., University of Arizona: Methods for determining groundwater under the influence of surface water, and BMPs for mitigating distribution system contamination
• Jose Santos Garcia Alvarado, Ph.D., Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon: Two validated first-level screening assays for infectious hepatitis A virus by detection of an intact capsid on frozen berries
• Abby Snyder, Ph.D., Cornell University: Salmonella risk is enhanced by onion condition or defect
• Abby Snyder, Ph.D., Cornell University: Solutions to brush sanitation tailored to the producer’s appetite for capital investment and labor intensity
• Martin Wiedmann, Ph.D., Cornell University: Agent-based models can predict appropriate risk-based setback distances for flooded fields
• Martin Wiedmann, Ph.D., Cornell University: Quantitative microbial risk assessments need to consider quality parameters to accurately predict produce food safety risks

CPS will share progress and results through its annual Research Symposium, email updates, and trade media articles. For more details on the funded research, visit the CPS website.