ENHANCING FOOD SAFETY OUTREACH TO UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES THROUGH FOOD MICROBIOLOGY AND SOIL AMENDMENTS RELATED HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS

The overall objective of the proposed project is to develop customized food safety education and outreach programs for underserved communities (including minority, tribal and otherwise socially disadvantaged growers) that expands upon existing food safety education and addresses the needs of specialized audiences whose education needs have not been previously or adequately addressed.This specific objective of the proposed work is to design and conduct hands-on workshops that reinforce learning material from the PSA Grower Training Modules 1 (Introduction to Produce Safety), 2 (Worker Health, Hygiene and Training, 3 (Soil Amendments) and 6 (Postharvest Handling and Sanitation) for underserved minority communities.The specific objective will be accomplished by the below activities:Activity 1: Development of interactive learning modules in the areas of general microbiology, produce safety, worker health, hygiene and training, soil amendments, and post-harvest handling and sanitationActivity 2: Development of laboratory techniques instructional videosActivity 3: Development of interactive hands-on activities in the areas of general microbiology, produce safety, worker health, hygiene and training, soil amendments, and post-harvest handling and sanitationActivity 4: Development of case studies in the areas of general microbiology, produce safety, worker health, hygiene and training, soil amendments, and post-harvest handling and sanitation