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<OL> <LI> Develop more effective technologies for decontaiminating fresh fruits and vegetables containing human pathogens by assessing factors limiting efficacy of conventional washing methods and equipment and developing new approaches to decontamination based on novel anti-microbial agents and physical treatments. <LI>Design, procure and evaluate novel decontamination equipment required for treatment application in a BL-2 pilot plant. <LI>Transfer effective decontamination technology to produce industry.
The relative importance of mirobial adhesion, inaccessibility, biofilm formation and internalization in limiting efficacy of sanitizing produce will be investigated. Novel anti-microbial treatments that attempt to overcome these factors will be evaluated with artificially inoculated produce using non-pathogenic surrogates of human pathogens. Efficacious treatments will be modified to permit evaluation with commercial-like washing equipment installed in a BL-2 pilot plant. <P> Specialized equipment for treatment application will be designed, fabricated and evaluated with artifically inoculated produce. A containment and equipment decontamination system will be developed so that treatment efficacy can be confirmed with produce inoculated with human pathogens. <P> New technology and recommendations for produce decontamination will be transferred to the produce industry, equipment manufacturers and government agencies by means of workshops, demonstrations, cooperative agreements, and publications.