Location: Environmental Microbial & Food Safety Laboratory
Project Number: 8042-32420-009-034-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2024
End Date: Aug 31, 2028
Objective:
Our goal of this proposal is to investigate antimicrobial potential of lactic acid bacteria and other biocontrols applies ad pre- and post-harvest levels for controlling foodborne pathogens on organic fresh produce.
Approach:
Decontamiation of organic seeds (spinach and romaine lettuce) with biocontrols will be evaluated which were previously contaminated with pathogens. Potential root uptake and internalization of surrogate bacteria in plants from treated seeds will be investigated at the farm level. Plants will be spray-inoculated with surrogate bacteria and the sprayed with biocontrols prior to harvest at the farm. Conventional, molecular, and microscopy procedures will be used to determine root uptake as well as antimicrobial effect of biocontrols.