Funding research

Chiquita's Fresh Express unit has announced that it is funding research on E. coli. Fresh Express said it will contribute up to $2 million to study ways the fresh-cut produce industry can prevent contamination from E. coli bacteria. Here is some coverage from yesterday that noted that while its products weren't involved, Chiquita's Fresh Cut segment - including Fresh Express - saw revenue per case drop even as volume increased in the last quarter.


In its news release, Fresh Express noted that an independent scientific advisory panel comprised of six nationally recognized food safety experts from both federal and state food safety-related agencies and academia has been meeting on a nonpaid, voluntary basis since May 2006 to develop the most productive research priorities related to the source, mode of action and life cycle of E. coli 0157:H7 and the pathogenic contamination of lettuce and leafy greens.
The panel is chaired by Dr. Michael T. Osterholm, Ph.D., M.P.H. and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota. In addition, the panel consists of Dr. Jeff Farrar, California Department of Health Services; Dr. Bob Buchanan, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Dr. Robert Tauxe, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Bob Gravani, Cornell University; and Dr. Craig Hedberg, University of Minnesota.

The release said the group evaluated the existing body of knowledge relating to E. coli 0157:H7 contamination in fresh produce and collaborated on the most critical research gaps in fresh produce contamination ranging from growing and harvesting to cooling, transporting, processing and packaging.
Five research priorities - those where research proposals are being sought - include:

Determine the potential for Escherichia coli O157:H7 to be internalized into lettuce or spinach.

Identify new mitigation strategies and technologies to reduce the potential for E. coli O157:H7 to contaminate leafy green produce.

Conduct field studies to identify sources, vehicles and factors that affect the degree of contamination or extent of contamination of leafy green produce by E. coli O157:H7.

Determine the ability of E. coli O157:H7 to multiply in the presence of normal background flora following the harvest of produce such as lettuce or spinach.

Determine the ability of E. coli O157:H7 to survive composting processes.


This is an impressive commitment by industry leader Fresh Express. Pooling the collective wisdom of experts to determine priorities in E. coli research is the right way to approach this issue.

I like it much better than the $500 PP has offered up for the best ad hoc suggestion to improve the leafy greens GAP draft document.