Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce covers all aspects of produce safety including pathogen ecology, agro-management, pre-harvest and post-harvest interventions, and adverse economic impacts of outbreaks. This title examines the current state of the problems associated with fresh produce by reviewing the recent, high-profile outbreaks associated with fresh-produce, including the possible internalization of pathogens by plant tissues, and understanding how human pathogens survive and multiply in water, soils, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce includes discussion on fast and reliable techniques for the detection of pathogens in and on produce, pre-harvest strategies, such as the implementation of Good Agriculture Practices, and risk analysis of irrigation waters and supply lines are discussed. The limitation of post-harvest interventions from current industry practices using chemical sanitizers is discussed and promising innovation technological applications, such as irradiation, and biological controls are presented by forefront scientific experts. Coverage includes the 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 challengers and perspectives in produce safety and strategies to prevent or minimize the risks associated with consumption of fresh produce.

Features include:

• Examines the current state of problems associated with fresh produce
• Extensive coverage of pre-harvest strategies for produce safety
• Presents industry perspectives and consumer aspects of foodborne pathogen outbreaks
• Covers food quality and safety in production, processing, food service, and retail
• Describes integrative and comprehensive practices that are specific, measureable, and verifiable

Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce

Section I: Microbial Contamination 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