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<p>1. Document the frequency of use and impact of specific farm management practices intended to enhance pre- and post-harvest microbiological quality of vegetables. </p>
<p>2. Identify the sources and magnitude of vegetable microbial contamination during the processing, packaging, and storage of leafy vegetables. </p>
<p>3. Determine the beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions that underlie behaviors and practices associated with vegetable handling among a) high-risk producers, b) high-risk consumers, c) retailers, and d) food safety and public health educators. </p>
<p>4. Develop, test, disseminate, and evaluate differentiated food safety messages and communication strategies to encourage increased adoption of effective food safety behaviors among key audience segments of vegetable producers and consumers.</p>
<p>NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:<br/> Current practices associated with production, harvesting, packaging, and preparation of vegetables provide many opportunities for transfer of pathogens to humans. Despite a recent concerted effort by industry, academia, and government to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases associated with fruits and vegetables, infections continue to occur. Outputs from this project will be applied knowledge concerning microbial contamination of produce and improved methods for education and outreach to promote behavioral change.
APPROACH: We will determine the mental models of growers at high-risk of producing contaminated product (small-scale and minority farmers); a number of targeted consumer audiences at higher risk for foodborne infection (elderly, rural, low-income, and African-American); educators; and retailers. Being complemented by survey data and informed by microbiological exploration of the sources and fate of E. coli O157 on vegetables during processing and packaging, differentiated food safety messages can then be developed and evaluated with cooperation of stakeholders to overcome the roadblocks to recommended food safety behaviors at both the pre- and post-harvest steps in the food chain
<p>PROGRESS: 2007/09 TO 2012/08<br/>OUTPUTS: Associations between irrigation water contamination and produce water contamination with coliforms were assessed. Spatial-temporal variability in microbial water quality in sub-samples of irrigation water were documented. Believes and practices concerning food safety among Mid-western producer growers were assessed and quantified. Effects of dietitians' personal beliefs about vegetable safety to predict their intention to teach fresh vegetable food safety during client consultations were elucidated. Based on the finding of these studies, three different training modules were developed (Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced) to transfer information about vegetable food safety to specific producer audiences. Seminars, workshops and displays describing safe food safety practices on the farm and in the home were created and
used in presented to the public. Food safety knowledge and influences on food safety decisions with the household were assessed among low income consumers. Outreach materials to convey vegetable food safety tips were developed, pilot tested and distributed to audiences in need. PARTICIPANTS: Collaborators: LeJeune, J.; Doohan, D.; Moore, R.; Medeiros, L.; Miller, S.; Wilson, R. Trainees: Gayeon Won. Melanie Lewis-Ivey, Sanja Ilic Partners: Midwestern vegetable farmers, Ohio Vegetable Growers and Marketing Association. TARGET AUDIENCES: Vegetabale producers across US, but specifically in Ohio. FDA/ USDA Policy makers Other academic scientists WHO/FAO PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
<p>PROGRESS: 2010/09/01 TO 2011/08/31<br/>OUTPUTS: Activities: Analyzed and summarized data from farmer interviews. Analyzed and summarized data from field studies (associations between water quality and microbial contamination of vegetables. Prepared manuscripts. Developed outreach materials. Used finding to apply to investigations and extension activities in developing countries. Events Completed farmer training for Ohio GAPs certification. Products and Dissemination : Developed Ohio produce Growers Food Safety Workbook. PARTICIPANTS: Co-PIs: LeJeune, Jeffrey, Douglas Doohan, Lydia Medeiros, Sally Miller, Richard Moore, Robyn Wilson. Program Co-ordinator: Ashley Kulhanek Traiing: Sanja Ilic (PhD), Melanie Lewis-Ivey (PhD), Connie Echaiz (PhD), Andrea Sosa (Visiting Scholar) TARGET AUDIENCES: 1. Lay Public; 2. College professors teaching the following courses: a. Dairy
Science, b. Food Science, c. Veterinary Medicine, d. Public Health, e. Medicine. 3. Extension Educators in Agriculture and Family Sciences; 4. Veterinarians, physicians and other public health officials. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
<p>PROGRESS: 2009/09/01 TO 2010/08/31<br/>OUTPUTS: Activities: Mental model interviews and biological sample collection was conducted on small farms, Amish fars and African American farms . Data was entered into analysis software and summarized. Manuscripts in preparation Events: Interviews with farmers. Mail survey of 600 Midwestern vegetable farmers completed. Dissemination. Information presented to The Produce Safety Project and sent to FDA dossier on food safety standards. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Vegetable producers, PEW Charitable Trust, Vegetable Commodity Groups, FDA PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
<p>PROGRESS: 2008/09/01 TO 2009/08/31<br/>OUTPUTS: Activities: Pathways and prevention of microbial contamination of vegetables derived from formal expert elicitation was analyzed. Web based assessment of food safety educators' (registered dieticians) knowledge, perceptions and practices associated with the prevention of vegetable-associated foodborne illnesses was determined. In-depth interviews/surveys with commercial vegetable producers conducted and correlated with microbial contamination of water and produce collected simultaneously on their farms. Microbial source tracking in a leafy green processing facility was conducted. A systematic review of the literature associated with the microbial contamination of vegetables was initiated. Two PhD students and 2 postdoctoral scientists were mentored. Events: Information was presented at multiple vegetable grower meetings
and at a regional grower workshops. Services: The PI continued to review manuscripts related to food safety submitted to him by editors of scientific journals. Dissemination Food Safety Extension Fact Sheets were produced. PARTICIPANTS: LeJeune, J.; Doohan, D.; Moore, R.; Medeiros, L.; Miller, S.; Wilson, R. (Co-PIs) The Ohio State University Won, G and Ivey, M (Graduate Students, OSU) Doerr, A and Meyer K (undergraduate student assistants) Schlegel, P (Research Associate) Tucker, M and Boron, A (Co-PIs) Purdue University Rivers, L Jr.. Simon, M (Co-Pis) Chavous, E and Tehran, J (Extension Personnel) Fruit and Vegetable farmers in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana TARGET AUDIENCES: Vegetable faramers- site visits, workshops and presentations. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: None
<p>PROGRESS: 2007/09/01 TO 2008/08/31<br/>OUTPUTS: Activities: Formal expert elicitation of pathways and prevention of microbial contamination of vegetables was performed. In-depth interviews with commercial small-scale, and minority vegetable producers conducted.. Three PhD students and 2 postdoctoral scientists were mentored. Laboratory experiments aimed at determining the factors affecting the survival of pathogen on fresh fruits and vegetables were conducted. Events: Information was presented at scientific conferences (IAFP), multiple vegetable grower meetings and at a regional grower workshop. Services: The PI served on Expert panels for include consulting for FDA and WHO. Dissemination Food Safety Extension Fact Sheets were produced. PARTICIPANTS: Vegetable growers and processors, risk communicators, food regulatory agencies TARGET AUDIENCES: Vegetable growers and
processors PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.