Fund the science, find solutions, fuel the change
The two-day 2023 CPS Research Symposium wrapped up this past Wednesday in Atlanta. Focus was on how to translate the latest food safety learnings into action: “Fuel the Change”
The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) is a 501(c)(3), U.S. tax-exempt, charitable organization focused exclusively on providing the produce industry and government with open access to the actionable information needed to continually enhance the safety of produce.
The total value of CPS-funded, just-completed and in-progress research represented here, which is relevant to CFFA members, is 5 million dollars. Previous projects of interest to CFFA members worth several million more date back to 2015.
FINAL REPORTS
Paul Dawson, PhD, from Clemson University demonstrated that Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella biofilms could survive on plastic surfaces for over two weeks under dry conditions. (CFFA collaboration) During 2022, food contact surfaces at two stone fruit packing facilities were swabbed before and after sanitation over the course of several weeks. It was revealed that typical sanitation practices were least effective on brush beds and sizer carriers. Following Dr. Dawson’s presentation during a discussion with attendees from industry, led by Dr. Trevor Suslow, it was emphasized that sanitation soon after operations end is necessary to minimize microbial load and risk. For instance, if a packline is to remain idle for any length of time, it is best to do a deep clean (with disassembly as necessary) immediately after the last run and follow up with another “regular” sanitation just before operations are restarted. In a sidebar discussion with Dr. Martin Wiedmann of Cornell University, he emphasized the importance of disassembling components of high-risk equipment like washer-waxers to eliminate persistent Listeria biofilms. (Note: Listeria monocytogenes is not the only pathogen that may be associated with biofilms. Pathogens in general often exist in complex microbial communities and may be found within biofilms regardless of their own ability to form a biofilm. For instance, while Salmonella may not persist and spread throughout a facility over time like Listeria monocytogenes, its association with biofilms can help it survive longer and resist sanitation efforts more than if it were on its own. Bottom line: Elbow grease is essential, don’t count on sanitizers to do their job unless the surface is clean.)
Matthew Stasiewicz, PhD, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reported on his work modeling product testing and concluded: Effective interventions reduce contamination and make pathogens harder to detect. Therefore, testing is best for detecting incoming, high-level contamination, or otherwise unexpected or uncontrolled sources of contamination, and of limited value for finished product. These results reinforce the well-established principle that focus must be on production and handling processes and food safety interventions rather than finished product testing to achieve the highest levels of food safety.
Nitin Nitin, PhD, from UC Davis presented his final report on a project to evaluate the durability and efficacy of antimicrobial coatings. (CFFA collaboration) “Food-grade biopolymers charged with chlorine can form flexible antimicrobial coatings on diverse food-handling surfaces to reduce cross-contamination of fresh produce with foodborne pathogens.” Research included testing on stainless steel stone fruit packing tables. These coatings are compatible with a wide variety of surfaces and equipment.
Disinfection of washwater in apple dump tanks. Meijun Zhu, Washington State University.
The waxing of whole produce (citrus) and its impact on microbial food safety. Luxin Wang, UC Davis.
Evaluating the challenges presented by blueberry harvest equipment sanitation. Jinru Chen, University of Georgia.
Understanding and predicting food safety risks posed by wild birds, Eastern US. Nikki Shariat, University of Georgia.
Environmental monitoring and patterns of Listeria contamination in fresh produce processing environments. Ana Allende, CEBAS-CSIC (Spain)
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
Evaluate performance of common washwater sanitizers for the control of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes on peaches under laboratory and commercial conditions. Meijun Zhu, Washington State University. (CFFA collaboration)
Addition of antimicrobials to fruit waxes to enhance food safety and extend shelf life. Oixin Zhong, University of Tennessee. (CFFA collaboration)
Rapid, user-friendly sampling and test method as a tool to assess risks associated with adjacent cattle operations. Mohit Verma, Purdue University. (CFFA collaboration)
Cross-contamination risks in dry environments. Nitin Nitin, UC Davis. (CFFA collaboration)
Practical application of superheated steam to harvesting, processing, and produce packing equipment. Abby Snyder, Cornell University.
Effective strategies to sanitize harvest bins and picking bags. Valentina Trinetta, University of Georgia.
Assessment of the food-safety risks imposed by wild birds, Western US. Daniel Karp, UC Davis.
Interaction of microbial communities and Listeria on pears during cold storage. Meijun Zhu, University of Washington.
Understanding potential differences between intact and wounded fruit on microbial communities and interactions with Listeria on pears in the long-term storage environment. Laura Strawn, Virginia Tech.
For details of these projects, please visit the CPS website or if you have questions or would like to discuss, head on over to the forum. If you visit the CPS website for details, use the name of the research scientist for your search to find the project.