Microbial safety of fresh produce

Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce includes discussion on fast and reliable techniques for the detection of pathogens in/on produce. To minimize the risk of human pathogens on fresh produce, pre-harvest strategies such as implementation of Good Agriculture Practices, a risk analysis of irrigation waters and supply lines, and the power and limitation of microbiological testing are discussed. The limitation of post-harvest interventions, from current industry practices using chemical sanitizers, is discussed and promising innovative technological applications such as irradiation, gaseous treatments, and biological controls are presented by forefront scientific experts. Coverage includes discussion of the impact of foodborne outbreaks on public health and the fresh produce industry in terms of economics, consumer acceptance and legal aspects. Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce gives readers, from food safety professionals to consumers, comprehensive overall reviews of challenge and perspectives in produce safety and strategies to prevent or minimize the risk associated with consumption of fresh produce.

Chapter 1. Enteric human pathogens associated with fresh produce: sources, transport and ecology.

Chapter 2. The origin and spread of human pathogens in fruit production systems.

Chapter 3. Internalization of Pathogens in Produce.

Section II: Pre-harvest Strategies.

Chapter 4. Produce safety in organic vs conventional crops.

Chapter 5. The Role of Good Agricultural Practices in Produce Safety.

Chapter 6. Effective Managing through a Crisis.

Chapter 7. The Role of Water and Water testing in Produce Safety.

Chapter 8. Role of manure and compost in produce safety.

Section III: Post-harvest Interventions.

Chapter 9. Aqueous antimicrobial treatments to improve fresh and fresh-cut produce safety.

Chapter 10. Irradiation enhances quality and microbial safety of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.

Chapter 11. Biological control of human pathogens on produce.

Chapter 12. Extension of Shelf-life and Control of Human Pathogens in Produce by Antimicrobial Edible Films and Coatings.

Chapter 13. Improving Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce Using Thermal Treatment.

Chapter 14. Enhanced Safety and Extended Shelf-life of Fresh Produce for the Military.

Section IV: Produce Safety during Processing and Handling.

Chapter 15. Consumer and Food Service Handling of Fresh Produce.

Chapter 16. Plant Sanitation and Good Manufacturing Practices for Optimum Food Safety in Fresh-cut Produce.

Chapter 17. Third party audit programs for the fresh produce industry.

Chapter 18. Pathogen Detection in Produce using Applications of Immunomagnetic Beads and Biosensors.

Section V: Public, Legal, and Economic Perspectives.

Chapter 19. Public Response to the 2006 Recall of Contaminated Spinach.

Chapter 20. Produce in public: Spinach, safety and public policy.

Chapter 21.Contaminated Fresh Produce and Product Liability: A Law-in-Action Perspective.

Chapter 22. The Economics of Food Safety: The 2006 Foodborne Illness Outbreak Linked to Spinach.

Section VI: Research Challenges and Directions.

Chapter 23. Research Needs and Future Directions.