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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
To The Window, To The Wall: Improving Environmental Monitoring Protocols, Sarah Jones
To The Window, To The Wall: Improving Environmental Monitoring Protocols, Sarah Jones
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Detecting microorganisms on environmental surfaces via an environmental monitoring (EM) program is part of a preventive food safety culture. Environmental monitoring should 1) verify that food safety plans are reducing cross-contamination risk from surfaces to food, 2) pinpoint microbial niches, and 3) prevent the transmission of pathogens. Environmental monitoring programs utilize EM tools, such as sponges, to sample food contact and non-food contact surfaces. However, EM tool selection is determined by the individual food firm. This dissertation evaluated and characterized factors influencing EM program effectiveness in the food industry. Specifically, this dissertation focuses on the release of microorganisms from EM …
A Mixed Methods Approach To Context Specific Curriculum Design For Very Small And Small Strawberry Growers In The Southeastern United States, Thomas A. Yeargin
A Mixed Methods Approach To Context Specific Curriculum Design For Very Small And Small Strawberry Growers In The Southeastern United States, Thomas A. Yeargin
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Outbreaks of foodborne illness due to fresh produce are a continued threat to both the publichealth and the economy in the United States. Though there are many factors which influence the perpetuation of foodborne pathogens, the inability of the food industry to curtail this issue indicates systemic failure of interventions aimed at improving food safety practices. In this dissertation, we detail the efforts made over the past few decades to provide training to food producers and food handlers as well as recommendations that have been made for improvement based on these studies. By borrowing from more advanced fields of study …
Elucidating Basis Of Rice Discoloration And Developing Prevention Strategies, Zeinab Mohammadi Shad
Elucidating Basis Of Rice Discoloration And Developing Prevention Strategies, Zeinab Mohammadi Shad
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Economically, discolored rice kernels have less market value, which can seriously impact farm net profit. The reasons for rice discoloration during storage have not been studied extensively and many questions remain. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to improve understanding of the role and contributions of storage practices on rice quality degradation and discoloration. In this study, three rice cultivars including XL753 (hybrid), Roy J (pureline), and Titan were assessed for changes in quality and microbial kinetics. The rice samples at a high moisture content (MC) of 21% w.b. and a low MC of 16% were stored at …
Microbiota Characterization Of Poultry Processing Systems And Associated Microbiological Sampling Materials Collected At Commercial Processing Facilities, Jennifer A. Wages
Microbiota Characterization Of Poultry Processing Systems And Associated Microbiological Sampling Materials Collected At Commercial Processing Facilities, Jennifer A. Wages
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The poultry industry and associated regulatory bodies use whole bird carcass (WBC) rinsates to evaluate different stages of broiler processing systems for the prevalence of food-borne pathogens, including Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. Within industry and research groups, the same sample collections are enumerated to determine E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae (EB), and Aerobic Plate Count (APC) microorganisms. Analysis of these indicator microorganisms provides numerical data that can be used to demonstrate the effects of specific process control steps where low occurrences of target pathogens hinder the exclusive use of prevalence data. With the utilization of next generation sequencing (NGS), including analysis …
Reducing The Risk: Psychological And Technological Approaches For Improving Handwashing Practices In The Foodservice Industry, Jeffrey Allan Clark
Reducing The Risk: Psychological And Technological Approaches For Improving Handwashing Practices In The Foodservice Industry, Jeffrey Allan Clark
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
As Americans are spending greater portions of their dollar on food consumed outside the home, the foodservice industry plays more of an integral part of daily existence compared to previous generations. Given the numerous annual foodborne illness outbreaks that threaten human lives while undermining confidence in the food supply, food safety is a pertinent issue for industry stakeholders, government regulators, and consumers. Food worker handwashing reduces the risk of foodborne illness transmission, yet compliance with this simple behavior is a complex problem. This dissertation addresses, predominantly, the issue of sub-optimal handwashing practices through applying psychology and technology, including wearable computers …
Aqueous Ozone Inactivation Of Viruses And Bacteria On Biotic And Abiotic Surfaces, Cailin Dawley
Aqueous Ozone Inactivation Of Viruses And Bacteria On Biotic And Abiotic Surfaces, Cailin Dawley
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Produce is susceptible to contamination by foodborne pathogens. Food service establishments utilize sanitizing agents to reduce microbes on produce surfaces. The research objectives were to evaluate the efficacy of aqueous ozone 1) on the inactivation of viruses and bacteria on produce; 2) on the inactivation of viruses on stainless steel; and 3) against viruses in association with bacteria on produce surfaces. For objective 1, Boston bibb lettuce and cherry tomatoes were spot inoculated with a cocktail of viruses (murine norovirus (MNV) and MS2 bacteriophage) or bacteria (Enterobacter cloacae and Bacillus cereus) and washed for 40 min with samples taken every …
Acanthamoeba Spp. As Reservoirs For Transmission Of Norovirus, Tun-Yun Hsueh
Acanthamoeba Spp. As Reservoirs For Transmission Of Norovirus, Tun-Yun Hsueh
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Human noroviruses (HuNoV) are the most common cause of foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States and the most common food commodities implicated in HuNoV outbreaks are leafy greens; however, the vehicle of transmission and point of contamination are often unknown. Here, we hypothesize that common free-living amoebae (FLA) ubiquitous in the environment may act as reservoirs of HuNoV and facilitate the transmission of these pathogens to fresh produce. The objective of this research was to first evaluate the interaction/association between HuNoV surrogates and Acanthamoeba by incubating them together and analyzing virus titer associated with amoeba through an 8 day …
Chitosan Reduces Enteric Colonization Of Campylobacter In Young Chickens, But Not On Post-Harvest Chicken Skin Samples, Hanna Royce Arambel
Chitosan Reduces Enteric Colonization Of Campylobacter In Young Chickens, But Not On Post-Harvest Chicken Skin Samples, Hanna Royce Arambel
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Worldwide, Campylobacter is one of the leading causes of foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis causing an estimated 1.3 million infections in the United States alone. Consumption and/or cross-contamination of raw or undercooked poultry products have been linked as the most common source of Campylobacter infection, making the poultry industry a target for Campylobacter reduction strategies. Campylobacter is prevalent in most poultry flocks in the United States, with as many as 90% of flocks Campylobacter-positive at the time of slaughter. It is estimated that a reduction of Campylobacter in poultry would greatly reduce the risk of campylobacteriosis in humans. Unfortunately, there are …