Project Number: 6612-42000-041-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 01, 2011
End Date: Mar 31, 2016

Objective:
1. Develop methods and instruments to identify food safety hazards throughout various stages of poultry and egg production and processing. 2. Detect and characterize foodborne pathogens, toxins, and bacterial threat agents with rapid optical methods. 3. Develop and evaluate detection methods for foodborne pathogens and toxins with nanotechnology.

Approach:
Various optical (imaging) methods will be used for detecting intentional and unintentional contaminants and bacterial pathogens of food products. A real-time in-line hyperspectral imaging system will be used to rapidly detect diseased and contaminated broiler carcasses in processing plants. A monochromatic imaging system will be used for detecting cracks in table and hatching eggs. Hyperspectral microscopic imaging system, Raman imaging instrument and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer will be used to detect biofilms and foreign materials on the surfaces of food processing equipment. Visible/near-infrared hyperspectral imaging systems will be used to rapidly detect and characterize foodborne pathogens associated with poultry products and bacterial threat agents. Nanotechnology will be used for detection of foodborne pathogens and toxins. Collaboration with ARS Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, BARC, FSIS, AMS, and the University of Georgia Nano Science and Engineering Center will be used to enhance the research.