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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 #282026

Title: Update: intervention strategies for producing safe sprouts

Author
item Rajkowski, Kathleen

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2012
Publication Date: 5/17/2012
Citation: Rajkowski, K.T. 2012. Update: intervention strategies for producing safe sprouts. Meeting Abstract.Capital Area Food Protection Assn. Meeting., Washington, DC., May 17, 2012., Volume 1, Page 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: There are still foodborne illness outbreaks and product recalls due to pathogen contaminated sprouts. Contaminated seeds, used for sprouting, are considered the main source of the problem. A review of seed contamination strategies, both chemical and non-thermal, will be presented. The chemical interventions studied to remove Salmonella on alfalfa seed achieved a 1 log reduction. Ozone gas or irradiation (2 kGy) treatments achieved a 2 log reduction of Salmonella. When ozone gas treatment and a 1 % peroxyacetic wash were combined, a 4 log reduction was reported, but this combination was considered too costly. Since sprout recalls are still occurring a Sprout Safety Task Force (government, academia and industry members) was established and an up-date of the group’s activities is given.