eNewsletter, June 2011

Conferences and Meetings

Institute of Food Technologists

June 11-14, 2011
New Orleans, Louisiana

Linda Harris attended the Annual Meeting of IFT.  Linda’s student Martha Kimber presented a poster entitled "Changes in total aerobic and coliform counts on pistachios during postharvest processing".  Follow the link to view the abstract.  Linda also was a co-author on a poster presented by Rutgers University student Di Li entitled "Development of a mathematical model to describe the growth of Salmonella spp. on fresh-cut cantaloupe at different storage temperatures".

2011 CPS Produce Research Symposium

June 28, 2011
Orlando, Florida

Rob Atwill, Linda Harris, and Michele Jay-Russell presented findings from research projects supported by the Center for Produce Safety in a program organized into five sessions.  In the first four sessions, presentations focused on one topic area and were followed by a moderator-led panel discussion.  Panelists included representatives from the produce industry, produce trade associations, and regulatory agencies.  The final session featured a panel discussion on topics such as future opportunities, the role of public/private partnerships, and how to employ research findings in the produce industry.  Presentations by WIFSS and Western Center for Food Safety researchers included the following:

 • Impact of almond moisture, almond cultivar and Salmonella serovar on the desiccation, persistence and heat resistance of Salmonella in almonds. Linda Harris, University of California, Davis.

 • Epidemiologic analysis and risk management practices for reducing E. coli in irrigation source water supplies and distribution systems. Rob Atwill, University of California, Davis.

 • Assessing postharvest risks for Salmonella in pistachios. Linda Harris, University of California, Davis.

 • Investigation of potential reservoirs of shiga toxin-producing E. coli and Salmonella in produce production areas of Arizona and Mexico (Rapid Response). Michele Jay-Russell, University of California, Davis.

 • Evaluation of amphibians and reptiles as potential reservoirs of foodborne pathogens and risk reduction to protect fresh produce and the environment. Michele Jay-Russell, University of California, Davis.

GAPs Training and Educational Materials Conference

June 29-30, 2011
Orlando, Florida

Michele Jay-Russell represented WCFS at the "Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Training and Educational Materials Conference" hosted by the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA). The primary purpose of this meeting was to identify effective training and educational materials that can support the PSA mission of developing a nationwide GAPs training curriculum and educational outreach program. Specific focus areas for the PSA included GAPs and comanagement education and outreach efforts for fresh produce farmers and packers with special emphasis on small scale operations. In addition to the review of GAPs training and educational materials, an update of the PSA’s progress to date was provided on the second day of the conference.

Raymond Yoder describes a produce good agricultural practices (GAP) training program customized for Amish and Mennonite farmers.