Not listed ** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** ORGANIC FARMING IS AN IMPORTANT SECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA) AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY AND REPRESENTS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS.CONSUMERS PREFER ORGANIC PRODUCTS BECAUSE OF PERCEIVED HEALTH BENEFITS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS, AND ANIMAL WELFARE CONCERNS. SINCE 2011, THE FRESH PRODUCE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING THE ORGANIC MARKET, HAS BEEN LINKED TO OUTBREAKS AND RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH L. MONOCYTOGENES CONTAMINATION: FROM THE DEADLY EPISODE CONNECTED TO CANTALOUPE GROWN AT THE JENSEN FARMS IN COLORADO TO THE MOST RECENT VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR SALADS PROCESSED IN YUMA, ARIZONA. DESPITE THE RECOGNIZED PRESENCE OF L. MONOCYTOGENES IN FARM OPERATIONS, NO STRICT REQUIREMENTS ARE IN PLACE TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION AND/OR CROSS-CONTAMINATION IN FACILITIES UNDER THE FDA FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT PRODUCE SAFETY RULE. THE FAST-PACED HARVESTING, HANDLING, AND PROCESSING OPERATIONS, THE DESIGN OF EQUIPMENT, THE CREATION OF DEBRIS AND LITTLE TIME BETWEEN SHIFTS PROVIDE IDEAL NICHES FOR LISTERIA CELL ADHESION AND BIOFILM FORMATION. FURTHERMORE, FRESH PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION DOES NOT INCLUDE A PATHOGEN INACTIVATION STEP AND BOTH PRE-HARVEST AND POST-HARVEST EQUIPMENT ARE OFTEN NOT DESIGNED FOR OPTIMUM MECHANICAL AND CHEMICAL DISRUPTION OF PATHOGENS AND BIOFILMS, E.G., CLEANING AND SANITATION. THE REALITY FOR ORGANIC GROWERS IS EVEN MORE LIMITED REGARDING SANITATION ALTERNATIVES, SINCE THE NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM (NOP) STANDARDS NEED TO BE FOLLOWED TO MAINTAIN ORGANIC-CERTIFIED STATUS: FEW OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO CONTROL FOODBORNE PATHOGENS, THEREFORE PLACING THE ORGANIC PRODUCE INDUSTRY AT A COMPETITIVE DISADVANTAGE. IN THIS PROJECT WE WILL : (1) ASSESS THE GROWTH OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES SESSILE AND BIOFILM FORMS ON DIFFERENT SURFACES REPRESENTATIVE OF ORGANIC PRODUCE HARVESTING, HANDLING AND PROCESSING FACILITIES; (2) CHARACTERIZE MICROBIAL DYNAMICS AND COMPOSITION BY IMAGING, SPECTROSCOPY AND GENOMIC APPROACHES; (3) OPTIMIZE THE SIMULTANEOUS USE OF LACTIC ACID AND UV-C IN LAB BENCH SETTINGS; (4) DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED SANITATION SYSTEM FROM LAB MODEL TO INDUSTRIAL PROTOTYPING; (5) VALIDATE THE SYSTEM ON COMMERCIAL HARVESTING EQUIPMENT AND IN PACKING FACILITIES REPRESENTATIVE OF DIFFERENT COMMODITIES AND DIFFERENT PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES; (6) OFFER WORKSHOPS AND DEMONSTRATIONS ON CLEANING AND SANITATION PRACTICES FOR ORGANIC GROWERS AROUND THE NATION, WHILE EVALUATING THE ECONOMIC COSTS FOR THE DEVELOPED PROTOTYPE. $0 9/26/25 Not listed ** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** NOVEL SANITATION APPROACHES TO CONTROL LISTERIA BIOFILMS IN THE ORGANIC PRODUCE INDUSTRY $1.5m 7/18/22