FDA partners with others to study contamination of leafy greens

The FDA announced the launch of a multi-year study to improve food safety through an enhanced understanding of human pathogens' ecology in the environment that may cause foodborne illness outbreaks. Partners to this initiative include the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the University of California, Davis, Western Center for Food Safety (WCFS), and agricultural stakeholders in the Central Coast of California. The study follows a series of outbreaks in California due to E. coli in leafy green. To prevent future infections, there is a need to address knowledge gaps. The multi-year study will examine how pathogens survive and move through the environment and contaminate produce through water quality and food safety.  This study's findings will contribute new knowledge on how various environmental factors may influence bacterial persistence and distribution in this region and how those factors may impact the risk of leafy greens becoming contaminated. This collaboration will lead to improved practices to prevent or mitigate food safety risks and ultimately enhance the safety of leafy greens grown in California. @ https://www.perishablenews.com/produce/fda-partners-with-the-california-department-of-food-and-agriculture-western-center-for-food-safety-and-california-agricultural-stakeholders-to-enhance-food-safety/