ENHANCING MICROBIAL FOOD SAFETY BY RISK ANALYSIS

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: TERMINATED
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1000794
• Project No.: PR00449
• Multistate No.: S-1056
• Project Start Date: Aug 15, 2013
• Project End Date: Aug 14, 2018

Project Director
Plaza, MA.

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ
P. O. BOX 9000
MAYAGUEZ,PR 00681

Performing Department
Crops and Agroenvironmental Sciences 1

Non Technical Summary
The CDC reports that every year there are approximately 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths from foodborne microorganisms (Scallan et al., 2011). The food safety surveillance system, FoodNet, documented in 2008 (the latest year for which data are available) that the Noroviridae were identified as the most common etiological agent of microbial foodborne disease, accounting for almost 50% of the outbreaks and 46% of illnesses. Salmonella spp. accounted for 23% of the outbreaks and 31% of illnesses. The commodities that led to the most outbreak-related illnesses were fruits and nuts (24%), vine-stalk vegetables (23%) and beef (13%) (Anonymous, 2011). The long-term goal of this project is the establishment of a multi-disciplinary network of scientists and other personnel involved in the production and inspection of the fruit and vegetable production system in PR. This will allow us to assess and communicate the risk associated with local food production, assess the knowledge of good agricultural practices and new FSMA Produce Safety Proposed Rule, and provide updated training according to the prospective survey findings. Interested stakeholders, including regulatory personnel have identified the need for training in this area. During the last six years the State Department of Agriculture has been coordinating and funding Food Safety training for producers, but no assessment has been conducted, or at least published, of the results of those trainings. Information has neither been recently collected of the need for additional training on this matter, from farm to table. Puerto Rico imports nearly 85% -90% of its food, hence there is a big concern among the population about the security of its food supply. There is also an increase move among local farmers toward the production of "organic produce", use of animal compost, sprouts production, and hydroponics systems. At present there is no published data on the knowledge of producers of the risks associated to the produce production system, nor about their understanding of what are good agricultural practices and about the new produce safety rule. Most local production farms are considered very small and have limited resources. In order to help fruit and vegetable producers to improve the safety and quality of their produce production, a multidisciplinary network of local personnel --such as educators, researchers, extension agents, regulatory personnel, and State Department of Agriculture inspectors-- will be gathered to collect information about the practices used in PR, on the training needs of farmers and stakeholders, and to assess the level of knowledge about the risks associated in the local production of fruits and vegetables and about the new Produce Safety Rule. The Food Safety Institute of the Americas and the Food Science Program Faculty have been providing training for the last ten years to selected audiences, as required by the State Dept. Of Agriculture, but less than 10% of the farmers have been trained. There is neither evidence of the effectiveness of the trainings or of adoption of the GAP practices. An interview schedule or survey will be developed targeted to different audiences (farmers, extension agents, department of agriculture, health inspectors) and with the help of the team, the information needed will be collected. Every year the local Agricultural Experiment Station and the Extension Service organize commodity meetings. These meetings could be used to collect information from the participants and to disseminate findings from our studies. According to the needs identified trainings will be scheduled to: Update training for those already trained, Provide GAP and Produce Safety Rule information to those not previously trained. The trainings will be conducted using training materials developed by our partners in the S1056 and ours, among others. Upon availability of research funding, microbiological analysis will be done and interventions to reduce or prevent contamination will be included in the study. The final goal is to have an integrated team that will provide support to local farmers in the adoption of the GAP and in being able to comply with the new Food Safety Rules.

Animal Health Component

0%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
711	1430	3020	30%
502	1499	2000	20%
712	1099	2000	20%
712	1430	1100	30%

Knowledge Area
711 - Ensure Food Products Free of Harmful Chemicals, Including Residues from Agricultural and Other Sources; 712 - Protect Food from Contamination by Pathogenic Microorganisms, Parasites, and Naturally Occurring Toxins; 502 - New and Improved Food Products;

Subject Of Investigation
1499 - Vegetables, general/other; 1099 - Tropical/subtropical fruit, general/other; 1430 - Greens and leafy vegetables;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education; 1100 - Bacteriology; 2000 - Chemistry;

Keywords

food safety

produce safety

risk assessment

risk management

risk communication

Goals / Objectives
Risk Assessment: Assess food safety risks in agriculture systems Risk Management: Develop science-based interventions to prevent and mitigate food safety threats Risk Communication: Communicate food safety messages to stakeholders

Project Methods
Collect information about food safety risk in the fruit, vegetable and leafy greens in PR's agriculture system. According to the information collected and based on risk, interventions will be suggested to prevent and mitigate food safety threats to those commodities selected. Communicate food safety risk and interventions to stakeholders through seminars and commodity meetings. Depending on funding availability, research will be conducted to develop specific interventions, or apply and prove the applications developed and suggested by the participants of the project. In conjunction with another recently approved projects, the following activities could be accomplished: Establish a student mentoring program to recruit and mentor students into a variety of food safety related disciplines Invite participants from USDA ARS laboratories and other state and federal governmental laboratories and organizations, with interest in food safety (FDA, EPA, etc.), to join the outreach and research efforts.

Progress 08/15/13 to 08/14/18

Outputs
Target Audience:Farmers from Puerto Rico. Efforts: Almost 60 farmers form Puerto Rico where train in Good agricultural Practices. The workshops consisted of two full day training in a classroom. Contact was made through the PR Department of Agriculture. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Direct communication with farmers was conducted to inform regarding the research results. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Risk Communication: Training on Good Agricultural Practices was conducted. Risk Assessment was accomplished. Four farms located in three municipalities: Hormigueros, Lares and San German, P.R., which grow lettuce (Latuca sativa L.) in hydroponic systems, were selected. Three farms use well water as their water supply and one of them uses potable water. Six sampling points were established in each farm, four in the hydroponic system, one in the source of the water (well water or potable water) and one in the storage tank. The water samples were taken from the different points at different times (0-5, 15-20 and 30-35 days) during the growing period until harvest. Significance and Results: The preliminary results of the farm, whose supply was potable water (Farm 4), was not in compliance with the microbiological standards at the sampling points: distribution tank (TD), starting point (PI), midpoint (PM) and end point (PF). The reported values were 3.49, 3.43, 3.46 and 3.47 log CFU/100mL of water respectively for the aforementioned points. For the tap point (G) and storage tank (TA), the farm whose supply was potable water was in compliance, because the reported values were 0.00 log CFU/100mL of water for both points. These results suggest that the problem of contamination lies in the hydroponic system. It is recommended to use chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite or chlorine dioxide to treat the water and the implementation and validation of a cleaning and sanitizing program in the hydroponic system to eliminate microorganisms that cause diseases. Another strategy to treat water could be heat sterilization, ozone injection, exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV-C), membrane filtration or ultrasound (US). Key Outcomes: Change in Knowledge

Publications

• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Silvestry Aimee. 2018. "An�lisis de riesgo del agua utilizada en sistemas hidrop�nicos para el cultivo de Latuca sativa L. en Puerto Rico". University of Puerto Rico. Mayag�ez Campus.

Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Farmers and Scientific Community Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Change in knowledge Two Good Agricultural Practices Seminars were conducted. The target audiences were farmers from our island. A total of 70 farmers were taught. A graduate student was able to train herself in collecting samples and using a protocol How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We are planning to submit the research for publication and make this information available to farmers.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A risk analysis was conducted in Agricultural water. This information is very important for the new PSA rule.

Publications

Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:Farmers and local Department of Agriculture employees. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A graduate student from the Food Technology program of the College of Agricultural Sciences participated in the risk assessment study of leafy green hydroponics production and was trained in the laboratory techniques used in the research. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?a. Attend to the annual meeting of S1056. b. Continue the collection of information on the local production practices and knowledge of the new regulations regarding Produce Production. c. Dissemination of the results from the Risk Assessment on the local production practices in leafy vegetables. d. Update training in new regulations related to FSMA to Extension Agents of PR and farmers.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1) Attendance to the Annual Meeting conducted in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The meeting was held on October 6 to 9, 2016 2) Risk assessment in leafy green hydoponics production was finished. Results showed that microbial load of Agricultural water was higher than the allowed by the Fresh Produce rule. A remediation strategy will be tested. This involved the use of two filters between the systems points where the results were high. 3) Due to problems related with the contract between UPRM and the Agricultural Department of Puerto Rico, seminars to farmers were not successful during the first semester 2016-2017 (August to December). Two seminars are already scheduled for February and May, 2017. 4) All the materials to start the research on the "Use of bacteriophages to control Listeria mocytogenes in soft cheeses" were purchased. Research experimentation is expected to start between February and May 2017. 5) The "Risk assessment of Ochratoxin A in Puerto Rican Coffee" research started with the isolation and identification of microorganisms from the bean coffee.

Publications

Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience: Farmers and local Department of Agriculture employees. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Attend the Annual Meeting of the Project. 2. Update GAP training for Extension Agents of PR. 3. When the new GAP - Produce Regulations are issued, we will work on a draft of a generic food agricultural plan for local producers.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A. Organized and hosted the annual Enhancing Microbial Food Safety by Risk Analysis (S1056) project meeting in Puerto Rico, held at the Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel on October 8 to 9, 2014. We had 32 participants, three from PR and 28 from the USA. On the first day, we met at Goya Foods of Puerto Rico, in Bayamon, and received a tour of the canning facilities. B. Evaluated the information collected last year about local production practices regarding leafy vegetables and other crops. Questionnaires were distributed to 52 farmers. The fifty-two farmers responded: 70% produce lettuce and cilantro; 67% use chemical fertilizers while 23% use compost; 40% use well water, 40% use potable water and 13% use spring water for all farming practices (7% did not answer). A total of 83% of the farmers keep some type of records. These include: 60%, production; 62%, sales; 53%, payroll; and 40%, purchases. Most farmers make decisions based on production, sales and payroll records. Regarding a food safety plan, only 42% of the farmers have one and identified the risk based on it; 44% of the farmers showed knowledge of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). C. Update GAP training for Extension Agents of PR. Training update was not conducted because regulations on fresh produce (new rule from Food Safety Modernization Act) were not published until November 2015. D. Analyses were made of agricultural water used in the production of lettuce for the School Lunch Programs. Three farms producing leafy greens using hydroponic systems were sampled. Water samples were collected during three periods (0-5, 20-25 and 35-40 days of planting). Microbiological analyses were conducted of water collected from the well, initial tank, and three different points of the hydroponic system. Results from the three farms and the three sampling periods showed that water from the well and the initial tank were within the parameters established by the new Fresh Produce regulation. However, results from the three points of the hydroponic system showed fecal contamination for the three farms.

Publications

Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Farmers and local Department of Agriculture employees. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Trainings were provided to near 80 farmers and some State Agriculture Department that produce lettuce for the School Lunch Program. The State Department of Agriculture Provided the funding to conduct a set of 3 trainings: one in Mayaguez, one in Cayey and the other one in Arecibo. These 3 trainings were focused in the GAP and Good Handling Practices. Two other trainings of GAP and GHP were developed for farmers of the Fresh Market Program of the State Department of Agriculture and near 60 persons participated. They were also funded by the State Department of Agriculture. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Educative material and social media network. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? a) Organize and host the annual meeting of S1056 in Puerto Rico. Continue the collection of information of the local production practices and knowledge of the new regulations regarding Produce Production. b) Evaluate the information collected last year about local production practices in leafy vegetables and other crops. c) Update training in GAP in Extension Agents of PR. d) Analysis of agricultural water used in the production of lettuce used for School Lunch Programs. Near 10-15 farmers will be visited and collect water samples for risk assessment of the quality of the water used for lettuce and other leafy vegetables production.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1) A multidisciplinary network of local personnel that include a representative of the State Health Department, State Department of Agriculture, FDA, Food Science and Technology Program and Crop and Agro environmental Department, and Agricultural Extension Service was gathered to collect information about the practices used in PR, on the training needs of farmers and stakeholders, to assess the level of knowledge about the risks associated in the local production of fruits and vegetables, and about the new Produce Safety Rule. 2) Risk Assessment: Assess food safety risks in agricultural systems. An interview or survey was developed targeted to farmers. 3) Risk Communication: communicate food safety messages to stakeholders Trainings were provided to near 140 farmers that produce lettuce for the School Lunch Program and for farmers of the Fresh Market Program of the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture. The trainings were focused on GAP and GMP.

Publications

Progress 08/15/13 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Target audience are leafy vegetables producers and fruit and vegetables producers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? 1. Meet with representatives of FDA, USDA- STATE , Extension Service Personnel and Experimental Station Leaders to establish a Team to help evaluate the risk, and provide adequate training about the risks, update GAP trainings and new regulations. 2. Train leafy vegetables producers and fruit vegetables producers in GAP. 3. Help the leafy vegetables producers that supply School Lunch Program develop their own Food Safety Plan based in GAP, and Produce new Preventive Control Program that will be required by FSMA. 4. Plan next year Project Meeting that will be held in Puerto Rico. 5. Conduct a survey about production practices in a sample of leafy vegetables groups and fruit and vegetables producers. 6. Submit the questionaries to the University Human Subject Committee.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Dr. Edna Negron and Dr. Lynette Orellana travelled to the annual meeting of the project in Ohio during September 7 – 12, 2013. Both scientists made a presentation to the group. As soon as we returned from the trip, we scheduled a local team meeting with the FDA, State Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service representative and Experimental Station Representative, held in November 20, 2013.

Publications