The latest on preventing E. coli on food

While other commodities, biofuel and rural development received more attention in general at the USDA Outlook Forum (as usual), there was some light directed at fruit and vegetable issues. Here is a link to a presentation, "Preventing E. coli Contamination of Food” by Robert E. Mandrell, Ph.D., Research Leader, Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center. The 28 page pdf concludes with this summary page:

Pre-harvest approaches
– Maintain water quality
– Minimize exposure of produce to wild animals, flooding, dust
– Treat livestock: vaccines, feed, novel antimicrobials
– Observe/inspect, common sense
• Post-harvest approaches
– Sampling and testing product, processing water
– Effective “kill step” (new sanitizers, irradiation)
• No major outbreaks in 2007 associated with leafy vegetables!

TK: While the meat industry has had a bad run lately, Mandrell notes that fresh produce growers and marketers have had a much better food safety track record of late. How will this lack of trouble in foodborne illness outbreaks translate into momentum for further food safety efforts - particularly a national marketing agreement or order for leafy greens? My take is that it will detract some of the impetus to move forward, particularly by growers in other states.