Progress 11/01/11 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Target audiences include other academic researchers as well as food industry and government agencies that use molecular methods for detection and further characterization of foodborne pathogens and spoilage organisms. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Four graduate students (2 at Cornell University and 2 at Colorado State University) were trained under this project. Students presented their research at professional meetings (i.e., ASM and IAFP) in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Graduate students also had the opportunity to serve as teaching assistants for workshops on molecular methods in food microbiology, which allowed them to interact with food safety professionals in academia, public health and industry. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been communicated to stakeholders through workshops, formal courses and through poster and oral presentations at professional meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the project four week-long workshops on Molecular Method in Food Microbiology were conducted for food safety professionals in academia, public health and the food industry. The workshop was instructed at Texas Tech University in 2013 after the project ended and will continue to be instructed at Texas Tech University each year. Drs. Nightingale and Wiedmann incorporated teaching modules on molecular methods in food microbiology in courses taught at Cornell University, Colorado State University and Texas Tech University. Approximately 6,000 environmental samples from production agriculture environments (i.e., produce fields and grazing pastures) and pristine environments (i.e., national parks and wildlife feeding areas) were collected in upstate New York and Colorado. Environmental samples were microbiologically analyzed to detect important human foodborne bacterial pathogens (i.e., Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella). Isolates have been characterized by molecular subtyping and banked at Cornell University and Texas Tech University for future studies.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Den Bakker, H.C., C.S. Manuel, E.D. Fortes, M. Wiedmann and K. Nightingale. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 63:3257-3268.
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Progress 11/01/11 to 10/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Dr. Nightingale and Dr. Wiedmann incorporated teaching modules on molecular methods in food microbiology in courses they teach, team-teach or deliver guest lectures for at Texas University and Cornell University, respectively. Dr. Nightingale delivers lectures on molecular detection and subtyping of foodborne pathogens for the following courses; Food Safety and Food Microbiology. Dr. Wiedmann delivers guest lectures on molecular detection and subtyping of foodborne pathogens for graduate level courses at Cornell University. PARTICIPANTS: Texas Tech University: Kendra Nightingale and Sarah Navratil. Cornell University; Martin Wiedmann, Travis Chapin, Laura Strawn, Rachel Pfuntner, and Ester Fortes. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include other academic researchers as well as food industry and government agencies that use molecular methods for detection and further characterization of foodborne pathogens and spoilage organisms. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Approximately 3,000 environmental samples from productions agriculture environments (i.e., produce fields and grazing pastures) and pristine environments (i.e., national parks and wildlife feeding areas) were collected in upstate New York and Colorado each. Environmental samples (i.e., drag-swab, water, soil, and fecal pat/dropping samples) were microbiologically analyzed to detect important foodborne pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and pathogenic shiga toxin encoding Escherichia coli. Isolates have been stored at either Cornell or Texas Tech University and will be characterized by phenotypic (serotyping) and molecular (Pulsed field gel electrophoresis and targeted DNA sequencing) subtyping. Findings from sample collections efforts and characterization of pathogen isolates will be submitted as abstracts to be presented at a scientific meeting in 2013 (e.g., International Association of Food Protection or American Society for Microbiology).
Publications
- Strawn, L. K., E. D. Fortes, E. A. Bihn, K. K. Nightingale, Y. T. Grohn, R. W. Worobo, M. Wiedmann and P. W. Bergholz. 2012. Landscape and meteorological factors affecting prevalence of three foodborne pathogens in fruit and vegetable farms. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. (Epub ahead of print: PMID 23144137).
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