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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #422853
Research Project: Determination of Flavor and Healthful Benefits of Florida-Grown Fruits and Vegetables and Development of Postharvest Treatments to Optimize Shelf Life an Quality for Their Fresh and Processed Products

Location: Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research

Title: Quality and safety of fresh-cut vegetables & fruits: The S294 multi-state research project

Author
item Fonseca, Jorge
item LUI, TIE - University Of Florida
item Plotto, Anne
item ALMENAR, EVA - Michigan State University
item BREHM-STECHER, BYRON - Iowa State University
item BRECHT, JEFFREY - University Of Florida
item SENSEMAN, SCOTT - Oklahoma State University

Submitted to: Acta horticulturae
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2025
Publication Date: 11/30/2025
Citation: Fonseca, J.M., Lui, T., Plotto, A., Almenar, E., Brehm-Stecher, B., Brecht, J.K., Senseman, S. Quality and safety of fresh-cut vegetables & fruits: The S294 multi-state research project. Acta horticulturae. 1442: 245-250. 2025. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1442.32.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1442.32

Interpretive Summary: The S294 Multi-State Research Project, “Quality and Safety of Fresh-Cut Vegetables & Fruits” has been an effective vehicle promoting collaborative, multidisciplinary research on physiology, microbiology, sensory, packaging, genomics, transportation (shock and vibration), and machine learning related to fresh-cut produce for 25 years. The S294 Participants welcome international scientists interested in these and other related topics to involve themselves in the S294 Project.

Technical Abstract: The S294 Project is a Multi-State Research Project in existence for 25 years that is administered by the USDA to enable collaborative research on high-priority topics related to fresh-cut quality and safety ranging from preharvest aspects to post-processing technology. S294 members conduct cooperative, jointly planned research employing multidisciplinary approaches in which the members cooperate to solve problems that concern more than one state or region. The Project meets annually with the International Fresh Produce Association. Current objectives of the S294 Project (2022-27) include: 1. Evaluate methods of sampling and measuring flavor and nutrition of fresh-cut products to facilitate comparison to traditional shelf life factors 2. Develop new strategies to improve and better maintain inherent fresh-cut product quality and nutrition 3. Improve understanding of physiological mechanisms that affect fresh-cut product quality 4. Determine critical factors in controlled inoculation studies with human pathogens and surrogates that influence the outcome of quantitative microbial risk assessments 5. Develop and validate novel diagnostic methods to determine presence of human pathogens and chemical hazards associated with fresh and fresh-cut products Membership in the S294 Project is open to scientists and engineers from all countries. Contact any of the co-authors for more information or visit the project website: www.nimss.org/projects/18943. Members work on physiology, microbiology, sensory, packaging, genomics, transportation (shock and vibration), and machine learning.