ENHANCING MICROBIAL FOOD SAFETY BY RISK ANALYSIS

Kaylegian:Dairy foods processing is known to be associated with food safety risks. Smaller processors have limited time and personnel available, and few resources to help them put into place the controls and documentation required under the Food Safety Modernization Act. The objectives of this project are to create resources for small-scale cheese makers and dairy food processors to improve their understanding of the properties of milk and risks associated with dairy foods and how to implement best practices for producing safe, high quality dairy products.LaBorde:Contamination of fresh produce with human pathogens, notably the highly lethal Listeria monocytogenes, can happen at any point in the farm to table food system. Objectives in this project focus on assessing and mitigating contamination risks associated with tree fruit packing operations, verifying the effectiveness of a thermal sanitization treatment to eliminate L. monocytogenes from surfaces within mushroom slicers that are not accessible by standard chemical disinfection, and new low technology methods for teaching Amish growers on new federal food safety requirements for produce growers.Cutter:Food safety is an international issue that impacts people of every race, age, and creed. Across the globe, people rely on a food supply involving farmers, processors, retail employees, and other food handlers to provide food that nourishes, but will not cause illness. The safety of food not only impacts the health and well-being of those who rely on food for sustenance, but the economic well-being of those involved in the food supply chain. It also impacts the economies of localities where those foods are grown, processed, and served. When one considers that 20% of food produced world-wide is exported, food safety has global economic impacts as well. Therefore, training of those involved with handling and preparing food is paramount. Understanding and enacting standardized food safety practices in a global economy is important for food workers, managers, and executives. Food safety also is important for those who are involved with supporting the food industry, including regulatory officials and academic professionals.