Although a handful of researchers have examined potential pathogen contamination of cantaloupe in the field, few have studied the melon in relation to potential pathogen transfer from and to contact surfaces throughout the food chain. Dr. Laura Strawn, an assistant professor of food science and produce safety Extension specialist at Virginia Tech, is leading a project to do just that with a focus on Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes transfer. "We really want to hone in on the contact surfaces and take it from farm to fork," Strawn said. "There are hardly any farm-to-fork studies that use the same methodology throughout."
Assisting her are co-investigators Dr. Ben Chapman, an associate professor and food safety Extension specialist at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., and Dr. Michelle Danyluk, an associate professor of food safety and microbiology with the University of Florida in Lake Alfred. As Chapman pointed out, the research does not duplicate work about potential cantaloupe contamination in the field. Instead it is designed to examine contact surfaces and potential pathogen transfer. "Other entities are taking samples of the product itself. What we're really interested in is what are the contact surfaces like from a microbiological standpoint," he said..
The two-year project is just finishing up its first year, but Strawn said their goal is to develop best management practices the industry can use to significantly reduce the potential transfer of pathogens to or from surfaces cantaloupe that may contact.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: The Center for Produce Safety (CPS)