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Food Safety responsibilities at USDA fall under several main divisions, or mission areas, of the agency. The Research, Education, and Economics mission area houses both the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES).
The Agricultural Research Service
As the principal in-house research component of USDA, ARS provides the scientific expertise needed to support the work of most of the Department's action and regulatory agencies and other Federal agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, some components within the Department of Defense, and the Department of the Interior. The USDA action and regulatory agencies served by ARS include Agricultural Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Farm Services Agency, Food and Nutrition Service, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. ARS employs about 1,900 scientists, and owns and manages nearly 3,000 laboratory and office buildings and about 400,000 acres of land in support of its research mission carried out at over 100 domestic and foreign locations. ARS scientists communicate research results and transfer new technologies from the agency to other scientists, institutions of higher education, producers, product and process developers, consumers, and other end users through publications; conferences, workshops, and consultations; and cooperative agreements and patent licenses.
The Agricultural Research Magazine is a great way to learn about current ARS research, and the magazine and other news and information from ARS are available at:
CSREES
CSREES, an agency which merges the former Extension Service and Cooperative Research Service, works in partnership with the Land-Grant University system, which includes the Cooperative Extension Service. Work supported by CSREES is extramural, because the research and extension efforts are carried out by State employees at these universities, rather than CSREES itself. Under this Federal-State partnership, research and extension at the Land-Grants are supported in part through federal formula, base, and grant funds to these universities.
Research directly related to cider production has been performed at Land-Grant institutions.
Example:
ENHANCING FOOD SAFETY THROUGH CONTROL OF FOODBORNE DISEASE AGENTS
INVESTIGATOR: Pierson, M. D.; Flick, G. J.; Hackney, C. R.
PERFORMING INSTITUTION: FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA 24061
OBJECTIVES: Develop or improve methods for control of elimination of pathogens, for example E. coli 0157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria in foods.
The effectiveness of a combination wash treatment as a control for E. coli O157:H7 on apples was tested. Whole blemish free intact apples of uniform size were inoculated with 100 CFU E. coli O157:H7 per cm2 and allowed to air dry. Apples were then immersed in the treatment solutions. The temperature of the treatment solutions was 25° C. The apples were held at 15° C. The treatments tested were chlorine (200 ppm, pH 5), acetic acid (5%), acetic acid followed by hydrogen peroxide (3%), a commercial phosphate fruit wash (Decco APL Keen 246), Tsunami 100°C and water. The treatments were applied for two minutes. For those treatments that involved two chemicals the total treatment time was two minutes. The treated apples were massaged in 100 ml .1% sodium lauryl sulfate and plated sorbitol MacConkey and TSA with 1% pyruvic acid to recover injured and noninjured cells of E. coli O157:H7. All the treatments were significantly different than water. Chlorine was the least effective treatment. The acetic acid wash was significantly different from the other treatments. The wash treatments did not adversely effect the organoleptic qualities of the apples. Apple cider processors indicated in a survey that most do not wash apples. The results of this study would indicate that most processors would benefit from washing the apples prior to cider processing.
PUBLICATION:
Wright, J.R., Sumner, S.S., Hackney, C.R., and Pierson, M.D. 1998. -- Reduction of E.coli 0157:H7 on apples using acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and phosphoric acid wash treatments. J. Food Prot. 61(Sup:A):38.
The Competitive Grant Process
Another important mechanism to support research, education, and extension, is a competitive grant process. In a Request for Proposals (RFP), the agency describes a research or extension need, sometimes in very specific detail, and requests proposals to address the problem. Merit review of the proposals selects the best work for funding. These RFPS can be targeted to high priority areas, and some competitions are open to all institutions (not restricted to Land-Grants). In writing the RFPS, CSREES staff use input from stakeholders and other federal agencies, such as FDA, to decide on research and extension priorities.
Transferring Research Results to the Public
Research funded under any of these mechanisms is transferred to the public in similar way to ARS research: publications, conferences, and workshops. The Cooperative Extension Service, at State and local levels, uses USDA research results in education, technology transfer, and information dissemination. In addition, anyone can access the Current Research Information System (CRIS) to learn about research funded by USDA, including CSREES. CRIS is the USDA's documentation and reporting system for ongoing and recently completed research projects in agriculture, food and nutrition, and forestry. The project summaries given in this paper were taken from CRIS. The CRIS home page is:
Major programs of CSREES which fund food safety research and education:
I. The National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (NRICGP)
The NRICGP supports a spectrum of research ranging from basic, fundamental questions relevant to agriculture in the broad sense to research that bridges the basic and applied sciences and results in practical outcomes. Competition is open to scientists at all academic institutions, Federal research agencies, private and industrial organizations, and those individuals qualified but not affiliated with one of the aforementioned organizations.
The NRICGP Food Safety Program for fiscal year 1999 requested research on: " a) identification of sources and reservoirs of pathogenic organisms and their toxins in food, animal feed and the environment; b) determination of the levels of microbial contamination in finished food products; c) identification of farm-based production practices that contribute to increased prevalence of foodborne pathogens; and d) identification of potential sites of contamination in the processing, transportation, retail setting, and consumer use of food products. In addition, a special new program, "Epidemiological Approaches for Food Safety" requested research on " a) identification of sources and reservoirs of pathogenic organisms and their toxins in food, animal feed and the environment; b) determination of the levels of microbial contamination in finished food products; c) identification of farm-based production practices that contribute to increased prevalence of foodborne pathogens; and d) identification of potential sites of contamination in the processing, transportation, retail setting, and consumer use of food products"
In past years, NRI has funded research directly relevant to cider production.
Example:
INTEGRATED POSTHARVEST STRATEGIES TO ASSURE SAFETY/QUALITY/ PROFITABILITY OF APPLE CIDER PRODUCTION
INVESTIGATOR: Jensen, H. H.; Reitmeier, C.; Gleason, M.; Glatz, B.; Nikolov, Z.
PERFORMING INSTITUTION: CENTER FOR AGRIC & RURAL DEV
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY AMES, IOWA 50011
OBJECTIVES: This project is designed to address the needs of apple orchards and processors who face new food safety and environmental regulations. The objectives are to evaluate the technical efficacy and economic effectiveness of various methods of controlling food safety hazards in apple and apple cider production. The technologies of pasteurization, apple sanitizer treatments, and irradiation are investigated with respect to control of food safety, effect on food quality, and costs. Alternative contracting mechanisms, the use of HACCP, and costs and benefits are considered for the agricultural system.
APPROACH: The project takes a systems approach to solving related problems of cider safety, environmental stewardship, and the regulatory environment to maintain the economic viability of smaller commercial apple producers and processors. First, the use of pasteurization, sanitizing treatments and electron beam irradiation is evaluated in terms of effectiveness in eradicating E.coli O157:H7. Next, the technical feasibility for selected methods is developed for prototype grower-processor systems for the alternative technologies. Third, we measure the economic impact in terms of costs and benefits of various technologies and incentive mechanisms for reducing the risk of E.coli in apple cider and in stored apples. An economic optimization model will be used to evaluate the relative merits and drawbacks of the alternative postharvest strategies for smaller producers. Processing and distribution systems for pooling of product, organizing processing to achieve larger scale of operation, and contracting mechanisms will be considered.
II Special Research Grants Program, Food Safety Research
http://www.reeusda.gov/pas/programs/foodsafety/fsrgrants.htm
The purpose of this grant program is to support problem-solving food safety research that addresses National emerging issues in food safety. The program for FY 1999 will focus on conducting qualitative and quantitative risk assessments of ready-to-eat foods; the scientific basis for critical control points, critical limits, and process capability in assuring food safety; and ensuring the safety of imported and domestic fruits and vegetables.
In fiscal year 1998, this program funded two projects on the safety of fresh juice/cider.
INVESTIGATOR: Worobo, R. W.
PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
N Y AGRICULTURAL EXPT STATION
GENEVA, NEW YORK 14456
NONTHERMAL PROCESSING ALTERNATIVES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF APPLE CIDER
OBJECTIVES: Our goals are to investigate ultraviolet irradiation, sulfur dioxide and dimethyl dicarbonate as potential nonthermal processes that will achieve a 5-log reduction of E.coli O157:H7 in apple cider.
ALTERNATIVE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES FOR FRESH JUICES
INVESTIGATOR: Golden, D. and Sumner, S.
PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
KNOXVILLE, TN
OBJECTIVES: This proposal addresses methods to reduce or eliminate the pathogens E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella and Cryptosporidium parvum in apple cider and orange, grape and cranberry juices, by treatments involving UV light and ozone, alone or in combination.
III Food Safety and Quality National Initiative
http://www.reeusda.gov/pas/programs/foodsafety/index.htm
The Food Safety and Quality National Initiative Program focuses on reducing the incidence of foodborne illness through improving safe food handling practices, improving processes that safeguard the food supply, and improving the understanding of food-related risks. Competitive grants are awarded annually through the Food Safety and Quality National Initiative Program to support the development of food safety education programs at land-grant colleges and universities in the Cooperative Extension System. The awards increase Cooperative Extension's ability to deliver high-quality educational programs in food safety to a wide variety of consumers and industry groups. Nationwide, projects funded through the Food Safety and Quality National Initiative Program provide education and training in safe food selection and preparation, food sanitation and storage, food preservation (canning, drying, freezing), safe food handling, seafood safety, aquaculture, pesticide residues in foods, biotechnology, and food irradiation. Funded projects also address the use of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point concepts in assuring the safety of the food supply.
In fiscal year 1999, one part of the RFP called for proposals on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) model development, training, and education in four targeted areas. Included are minimizing microbial food safety hazards for fresh fruits and Vegetables, and HACCP "train the trainer" programs using currently available models, curricula, and materials the development of HACCP "train the trainer" programs using currently available models developed for HACCP. Projects focused on developing or adapting existing HACCP models for use in emerging areas and/or for new target audiences will also be supported.
In fiscal year 1997, a project directly related to cider processors was funded by this program.
HACCP IMPLEMENTATION
INVESTIGATOR: Sumner, S.
PERFORMING INSTITUTION: FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA 24061
OBJECTIVES: Develop model HACCP plans, conduct HACCP workshops, and a pilot HACCP implementation program for small to medium food processors, including cider producers.