Washington, DC
August 22, 2007
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike
Johanns announced today that USDA
is furthering its research on the safety of fresh produce.
Nearly $5.5 million will support collaborative research to
identify risk factors and preventive measures for E. coli
O157:H7 contamination in fresh produce.
"This research will help producers identify the sources of E.
coli O157:H7 and ways to avoid contamination," Johanns said.
"Developing new research and prevention tactics for the grower
will contribute to assuring produce safety for consumers."
USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Cooperative State
Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSRES) are providing
the funding to ARS researcher Rob Mandrell and his collaborators
at the University of California to continue their research in
the Central Valley of California. Over the next three years ARS
will contribute $5 million and CSREES will contribute $470,999.
In 2006, CSREES awarded Mandrell and colleague Robert Atwill at
University of California-Davis $1.2 million to do research in
the Salinas Valley.
Mandrell will address where E. coli O157:H7 originates, how it
survives on the plant, and what factors lead to an increase in
produce-related outbreaks. Potential risk factors include
animals, land practices, packing and processing processes and
wildlife.
Additionally, the project will feature workshops and
publications to educate the animal operators, natural resource
managers and the public about animal diseases that can be
transferred to humans, how animal waste can contaminate water
sources, and beneficial management practices for maintaining and
improving water runoff quality.
Outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 illness associated with fresh
lettuce or spinach have been associated with pre-harvest
contamination.
CSREES' portion of the grant was funded through the National
Research Initiative (NRI). The NRI is the largest peer reviewed,
competitive grants program in CSREES. Its purpose is to support
research, extension, and education grants that address key
problems of national, regional, and multi-state importance in
sustaining all components of agriculture.
CSREES advances knowledge for agriculture, the environment,
human health and well-being, and communities by supporting
research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant
University System and other partner organizations. For more
information, visit
http://www.csrees.usda.gov.
ARS is the USDA's chief
in-house scientific research agency. |
|
