The National Integrated
Food Safety Initiative - 2004 Project Summaries
Arizona
Title: Assessment of Perchlorate Content
and Risks of Food Crops Irrigated with Colorado
River Water
Principal Investigator: Charles Sanchez
Institution: University of Arizona
Yuma Agricultural Center
6425 West 8th Street
Yuma, Arizona 85364-9623
Telephone: 928-782-3836
Fax: 928-782-1940
E-mail: sanchez@ag.arizona.edu
Project Start Date: 9/01/2004
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $414,344.00
Description: Researchers will survey food
and feed crops irrigated with Colorado River
water for perchlorate accumulation. They
will assess potential exposure and health
risks to strengthen regulatory health goals,
and to develop appropriate consumer education
programs.
California
Title: Reducing the Use of Antibiotics and
the Incidence of Antibiotic Resistance on
Calf Ranches
Principal Investigator: William Sischo
Institution: University of California, Davis
Vet Med: Population Health and
18830 Road 112 VMTRC
Tulare, California 93274
Telephone: 559-688-1731
Fax: 559-686-4231
E-mail: bsischo@vmtrc.ucdavis.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $600,000.00
Description: Researchers at the University
of California, Davis will implement a series
of clinical trials testing calf antibiotic
treatments and use those results to implement
an educational program for calf-rearing producers,
veterinarians, and veterinarian students.
The program will incorporate the results
from the clinical trials and emphasize nonantibiotic
approaches to calf-rearing.
California
Title: Enhancing the Microbial Safety of
Fresh and Fresh-Cut Melon
Principal Investigator: Trevor Suslow
Institution: University of California, Davis
Department of Vegetable Crops
148 Asmundson Hall
Davis, California 95616
Telephone: 530-754-8313
Fax: 530-752-9659
E-mail: tvsuslow@ucdavis.edu
Project State Date: 9/30/2004
Duration in Months: 48 (3rd year)
Award: $156,886. 00
Description: Researchers at the University
of California will evaluate the effectiveness
of using sanitizers and disinfectants to
kill harmful bacteria in melons and other
produce.
Colorado
Title: Effect of Transportation and Lairage
on E.coli O157 and Salmonella spp. in Beef
Cattle
Principal Investigator: M D Salman
Institution: Colorado State University
Department of Clinical Sciences
Campus Delivery 1681
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1681
Telephone: 970-491-7950
Fax: 970-491-2940
E-mail: M.D.Salman@colostate.edu
Project Start Date: 09/01/04
Duration in Months: 24
Award: $489,527.00
Description: Researchers at Colorado State
University will evaluate the effect of different
transportation and lairage methods on the
prevalence of Escherichia coli O157and
Salmonella spp. in feces and on hide
surfaces of finished beef cattle. Researchers
will develop effective mitigation strategies
designed to reduce carcass contamination.
Colorado
Title: Listeria Monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat
Meat Products: Risks, Controls and Education
for Prevention
Principal Investigator: John Sofos
Institution: Colorado State University
Department of Animal Sciences
1171 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1171
Telephone: 907-491-7703
Fax: 970-491-0278
E-mail: John.Sofos@colostate.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $597,481.00
Description: Researchers at Colorado State
University will determine survival and growth
rates for Listeria monocytogenes on
commercial ready-to-eat meat and poultry
products at varying temperature ranges for
refrigeration and temperature abuse. Researchers
will focus on improving antimicrobial treatments
for industry that inhibit pathogen growth.
Delaware
Title: Inactivation of Viruses by Pressure
in Ready-to-Eat Food Products
Principal Investigator: Dallas Hoover
Institution: University of Delaware
Department of Animal and Food
17 Townsend Hall
Newark, Delaware 19716-2150
Telepone: 302-831-8772
Fax: 302-831-2822
E-mail: dgh@udel.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $450,205.00
Description: Researchers at the University
of Delaware, in Newark, will study the use
of HPP (high hydrostatic pressure) on the
responses of foodborne viruses, such as hepatitis
A, based on pressure magnitude, and treatment
time and temperature. Ready-to-eat products
and HPP treated foods will be evaluated using
consumer taste panels. Information will be
disseminated through an outreach program
to educate consumers on foodborne viruses
and the potential impact of HPP on food safety
and preservation.
Florida
Title: Validation of Tanker-Truck Sanitation
Regimes as Related to the Secure Transportation
of Liquid Foods
Principal Investigator: Mickey Parish
Institution: University of Florida
Citrus Research and Education Center
700 Experiment Station Road
Lake Alfred, Florida 33850
Telephone: 863-956-1151
Fax: 863-956-4631
E-mail: mparish@crec.ifas.ufl.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $261,055.00
Description: Researchers at the University
of Florida will assess the effectiveness
of current tanker-truck sanitation and modified
wash protocols recommended as industry standards
by trade organizations. Researchers will
validate procedures to assess the effectiveness
of contaminant removal from tanker trucks.
Florida
Title: Interactive Computer Food Safety
Education Program for Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC) Program Clients
Principal Investigator: Mary Jo Trepka
Institution: Florida International University
University Park, Department of Public
11200 SW 8th Street, VH 216F
Miami, Florida 33199
Telephone: 305-348-7186
Fax: 305-348-4901
E-mail: Trepkam@fiu.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $599,557.00
Description: Researchers at the Florida
International University will develop and
evaluate a food safety educational program
using computer-based interactive multimedia
to improve food safety practices among high-risk
WIC (USDA Supplemental Food Program) clients.
Georgia
Title: Microbiological Safety of Composting
Process as Animal Manure Treatment
Principal Investigator: Michael Doyle
Institution: University of Georgia
Center for Food Safety
1109 Experimental Street
Griffin, Georgia 30223-1797
Telephone: 770-228-7284
Fax: 770-229-3216
E-mail: mdoyle@uga.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $600,000.00
Description: Researchers at the University
of Georgia will conduct experiments to examine
and validate the USDA composting recommendations
for certified organic production to inactivate
major foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia
coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria, in
animal waste compost on the farm. Results
will be disseminated to farmers and organic
growers.
Georgia
Title: Improving the Efficacy of Sanitizers
on Fresh Produce and Produce Processing Surfaces
Using Electrostatic Sprays
Principal Investigator: Yen-Con Hung
Institution: University of Georgia
Griffin Campus
Department of Food Science
1109 Experiment Street
Griffin, Georgia 30223-1797
Telephone: 770-412-4739
Fax: 770-412-4748
E-mail: yhung@uga.edu
Project Start Date: 09/01/04
Duration in Months: 24
Award: $316,667.00
Description: Researchers at the University
of Georgia will improve the efficacy of fresh
fruit and vegetable sanitizers by using electrostatic
sprays to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms
on the surfaces of fresh produce and processing
equipment, and provide information to the
fresh and fresh-cut produce industry through
outreach activities.
Guam
Title: Food Safety Education and Traditional
Food 'Kelaguen' Modification for Consumers
and Children in the U.S. Territory of Guam
Principal Investigator: Jian Yang
Institution: University of Guam
College of Natural and Applied
Mangilao, Guam 96923
Telephone: 671-735-2027
Fax: 671-734-4222
E-mail: jyang@guam.uog.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $386,701.00
Description: Researchers will focus on
preventing one of the most common foodborne
illness outbreaks in Guam involving preparation
of the traditional food, Kelaguen. They will
create a model food safety education program
promoting safe Kelaguen preparation practices
for consumers of all ages.
Indiana
Title: Improving the Safety of Fresh Fruits
and Vegetables with Chlorine Dioxide Gas
Using a Miniaturized Industrial-Size Tunnel
System
Principal Investigator: Richard Linton
Institution: Purdue University Department of Food Science
745 Agriculture Mall Drive
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2009
Telephone: 765-494-6481
Fax: 765-494-7953
E-mail: linton@purdue.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $599,790.00
Description: Researchers at Purdue University
will investigate microbial inactivation kinetics
for produce pathogens to evaluate the efficacy
of using gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO 2)
treatments for potential industry application.
Iowa
Title: Southeast Iowa's Food Safety and
Animal Handling Procedures for Meat Processors
and Livestock Producers
Principal Investigator: Joseph Cordray
Institution: Iowa State University
Animal Science Department
194 Kildee
Ames, Iowa 50011-3150
Telephone: 515-294-4266
Fax: 515-294-6328
E-mail: jcordray@iastate.edu
Project Start Date: 9/01/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $599,126.00
Description: Researchers at Iowa State University
will expand and enhance a current food safety
training prototype by assessing meat processing
needs at all levels. The assessment will
include management of the processing line,
animal delivery sites, animal transportation,
and livestock producers.
Kansas
Title: Improving Food Safety Practices of
Restaurant Employees Using the Theory of
Planned Behavior
Principal Investigator: Carol Shanklin
Institution: Kansas State University
Department of Hotel, Restaurant,
104 Justin Hall
Manhattan, Kansas 66506
Telephone: 785-532-2206
Fax: 785-532-5522
E-mail: shanklin@ksu.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $482,763.00
Description: Researchers at Kansas State
University will develop and evaluate a food
safety training program that will examine
employee barriers to food safety practices.
Researchers hope to increase food safety
knowledge and improve food handling practices
in restaurants.
Maryland
Title: Development of Computer Models for
Ranking the Public Health Impact of Foodborne
Hazards
Principal Investigator: J. Glenn Morris
Institution: University of Maryland Baltimore
10 S. Pine Street, MSTF 934
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Telephone: 410-706-4580
Fax: 410-706-4581
E-mail: gmorris@epi.umaryland.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 24
Award: $600,000.00
Description: Researchers at the University
of Maryland, School of Medicine, will further
develop an existing prototype model for ranking
the public health impact of specific pathogen-food
combinations. Researchers will disseminate
the model to users through a web-based interface.
Nebraska
Title: HACCP Assistance for Small and Very
Small Processors with Development and Validation
of Safe Meat Chilling Processes
Principal Investigator: Harshavardhan Thippareddi
Institution:University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Department of Food Science and
236 Food Industry Complex
Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0919
Telephone: 402-472-3404
Fax: 402-472-1693
E-mail: hthippareddi2@unl.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $599,916.00
Description: Researchers at the University
of Nebraska, Lincoln will develop mathematical
models for chilling temperature profiles
of meat and meat products. Researchers will
integrate the profiles into predictive microbiological
models to describe the growth of Escherichia
coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp.
for safe animal carcass chilling, and Clostridium
perfringens for processed meat chilling.
Nebraska
Title: Validating and Implementing Listeria
monocytogenes Controls in Ready-to-Eat Meat
Products Produced by Rural Meat and Poultry
Principal Investigator: Dennis Burson
Institution: University of Nebraska, Lincoln
A213 Animal Science Box 830908
Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0908
Telephone: 402-472-6457
Fax: 402-472-6362
E-mail: dburson1@unl.edu
Project Start Date: 09/01/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $599,732.00
Description: Researchers at the University
of Nebraska, Lincoln will identify and validate
antimicrobial controls that reduce the foodborne
hazard of Listeria monocytogenes in
ready-to-eat meat products produced by rural,
small, and very small meat processing plants.
Researchers will also develop an educational
curriculum that can be delivered in other
states by extension staff and business educators.
New York
Title: Computer-Aided Food Safety Engineering
Principal Investigator: Ashim Datta
Institution: Cornell University
Department of Biological and
208 Riley-Robb Hall
Ithaca, New York 14853-5701
Telephone: 607-255-2482
Fax: 607-255-4048
E-mail: akd1@cornell.edu
Project Start Date: 07/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $599,823.00
Description: Researchers at Cornell University
will develop comprehensive, nonempirical
models of a number of food processes to improve
food safety by integrating a large physical
properties database, a predictive microbiology
knowledge base, and a chemical safety database.
Researchers believe the resulting comprehensive
model will become a user-friendly tool for
the entire food processing community.
New York
Title: Good Agricultural Practices Network
for Education and Training
Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Bihn
Institution: Cornell University
Department of Food Science
8 Stocking Hall
Ithaca, New York 14853
Telephone: 607-254-5383
Fax: 607-254-4868
E-mail: eab38@cornell.edu
Project Start Date: 09/01/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $599,924.00
Description: Researchers at Cornell University
will promote the Good Agricultural Practices
Network for Education and Training (GAPs
NET) to serve as a web-based resource for
produce food safety. Researchers will also
create a science-based, hands-on food safety
curriculum for secondary students.
Ohio
Title: Agricultural Ceftiofur Use and the
Dissemination of Third Generation Cephalosporin
Resistance Genetics of Public Health Concern
Principal Investigator: Thomas Wittum
Institution: Ohio State University
Veterinary Preventive Medicine
1900 Coffey Road
Columbus, Ohio 43210
Telephone: 614-292-1206
Fax: 614-292-4142
E-mail: Wittum.1@osu.edu
Project Start Date: 09/15/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $599,996.00
Description: Researchers at The Ohio State
University will conduct research on how to
reduce the risk of zoonotic transfer of third
generation cephalosporin-resistant (antibiotic-resistant)
foodborne pathogens. Researchers will assess
the public health risk attributable to the
use of ceftiofur (a wide-spectrum antibiotic)
in food animals, while using these data to
establish educational programs for its prudent
use in veterinary medicine.
Ohio
Title: Safety of Foods Processed by Four
Alternative Processing Technologies
Principal Investigator: Sudhir Sastry
Institution: The Ohio State University
590 Woody Hayes Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43210
Telephone: 614-292-3508
Fax: 614-292-9448
E-mail: sastry.2@osu.edu
Project Start Date: 9/15/2004
Duration in Months: 48
Award: $436,189.00 (2 nd. Year)
Description: Researchers at The Ohio State
University will study four alternative process
technologies (pulsed electric field, high
pressure, ohmic heating, and microwave heating)
in an effort to improve the safety, nutrition,
and quality of food products.
Oregon
Title: Characterization of the Cadmium
Health Risk, Concentrations and Ways to Minimize
Cadmium Residues in Shellfish
Principal Investigator: Michael Morrissey
Institution: Oregon State University
Seafoods Laboratory
2001 Marine Drive
Astoria, Oregon 97103-2499
Telephone: 503-325-4531
Fax: 503-325-2753
E-mail: michael.morrissey@oregonstate.edu
Project Start Date: 09/01/04
Duration in Months: 24
Award: $453,915.00
Description: Researchers at Oregon State
University will study the spatial and temporal
distribution of cadmium in shellfish, while
evaluating the human health risks to consumers,
and the economic risk to industry. Researchers
will also investigate methods to minimize
cadmium residues in shellfish products marketed
to consumers and provide this information
to industry and federal agencies.
South Carolina
Title: Food Safety from the Surface Up:
A Conference
Principal Investigator: Susan Barefoot
Institution: Clemson University
Food Safety and Nutrition
104 Barre Hall
Clemson, South Carolina 29634
Telephone: 864-656-3140
Fax: 864-656-5819
E-mail: sbrft@clemson.edu
Project Start Date: 09/01/04
Duration in Months: 12
Award: $33,150.00
Description: Researchers at Clemson University
will coordinate a national food safety conference
to bring together researchers, educators,
extension, and industry professionals. The
conference will focus discussion on microbiological
aspects of contaminated food surfaces and
the impact on consumer food safety.
Tennessee
Title: Characterizing Consumer Handling,
Storage, and Use of Product Labels and Dates
to Develop Risk Communication Messages for
Ready-to-Eat Foods
Principal Investigator: Sandria Godwin
Institution: Tennessee State University
Institute of Agricultural and
3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209-1561
Telephone: 615-963-5619
Fax: 615-963-1557
E-mail: sgodwin@tnstate.edu
Project Start Date: 09/01/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $597,890.00
Description: Researchers will examine consumer
handling and storage of ready-to-eat foods
and the use of product labels and dates.
In addition, they will assess home refrigerator
conditions for potential contamination by
foodborne pathogens, and use data collected
to develop and disseminate messages to consumers
about the potential risks of improper handling
and storage of ready-to-eat foods. Consumers
will also learn how to mitigate these potential
risks.
Texas
Title: Improving Safety of Complex Food
Items Using Electron Beam Technology
Principal Investigator: Rosana Moriera
Institution: Texas A&M University-College Station
Department of Biology and Agricultural Engineering
310 Scoates Hall
College Station, Texas 77843-2117
Telephone: 979-847-8794
Fax: 979-845-3932
E-mail: rmoreira@tamu.edu
Project State Date: 9/30/2004
Duration in Months: 48 months (3 rd. Year)
Award: $328,357.00
Description: Researchers at Texas A&M
University will study irradiated food and
develop guidelines for their general use.
Wisconsin
Title: HACCP Assistance for Small and Very
Small Meat Processors: Challenge Studies
and Predictive Modeling for Validation of
Critical Limits
Principal Investigator: Steven Ingham
Institution: University of Wisconsin
Department of Food Science
1605 Linden Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
Telephone: 608-265-4801
Fax: 608-262-6872
E-mail: scingham@wisc.edu
Project Start Date: 07/01/04
Duration in Months: 36
Award: $600,000.00
Description: Researchers at the University
of Wisconsin, Madison will investigate HACCP
critical limit validation needs of meat and
poultry processors by performing lab and
pilot plant studies. They will develop computer-generated
predictive models of pathogen growth, conduct
challenge study validation of predictive
models, and develop outreach materials to
disseminate results to processors, industry
groups, extension specialists, and state
and federal regulators.
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