Weather-based model predicts pathogen presence on lettuce

U.S – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA’s ARS), in collaboration with Cornell University, Cleveland State University, and the Spanish Centro De Edafologia Y Biologia Aplicada Del Segura (CEBAS), has introduced a new weather-based model aimed at forecasting the presence of Escherichia coli and other foodborne pathogens on lettuce.

Motivated by recurring foodborne illness outbreaks associated with lettuce grown in California, the researchers developed a predictive tool to assess how weather conditions impact the survival of pathogenic bacteria on crop surfaces. This initiative seeks to provide robust risk assessment tools to mitigate contamination risks.

The model utilizes publicly available weather station data to analyze variables such as temperature, radiation, and dew point depression to determine pathogen growth and decay rates. It also considers the influence of bacterial physiological state dynamics within the phyllosphere, the plant surface serving as a microorganism habitat.

With minimal input requirements, the model offers a user-friendly solution for proactive microbial risk management. Its potential application spans across various leafy greens grown in diverse U.S. regions, promising to enhance food safety practices in agriculture.

While acknowledging the model’s early success, researchers emphasize the need for further refinement before broader integration. Future enhancements may include incorporating plant age as a factor influencing pathogen survival and integrating a leaf wetness factor accounting for dew formation, rainfall, and irrigation.

The introduction of this weather-based model represents progress in preemptive food safety measures within the agricultural sector. As research advances, stakeholders anticipate increased efficacy in mitigating contamination risks associated with leafy greens, bolstering confidence in food supply chains.

Beyond lettuce

The implications extend beyond lettuce cultivation, potentially reshaping food safety protocols across various agricultural sectors.

A study conducted by researchers from Ohio State University unveiled that leafy greens account for 9.18 percent of all known foodborne illnesses caused by pathogens in the U.S annually.

Such infections incur a hefty economic burden, reaching a colossal U.S$5.278 billion. The culprits behind the majority of these illnesses and costs are norovirus, non-O157 and O157:H7 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Campylobacter, and nontyphoidal Salmonella.

Among the leafy greens subtypes, romaine lettuce stands out as a notable contributor to foodborne illness. 19.8 percent of STEC O157:H7 illnesses can be attributed to romaine lettuce, resulting in approximately 12,496 cases of illness annually, with a hefty economic toll of U.S$324.64 million.

Between 2014 and 2021, the CDC documented a total of 78 foodborne disease outbreaks associated with leafy greens, primarily lettuce. Notably, growers of leafy greens, particularly those producing Romaine lettuce, have faced outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 on eight occasions since 2017.

Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have made significant strides in unraveling the mystery behind lettuce’s vulnerability to E. coli contamination. Their latest findings shed light on how a combination of temperature variations and leaf surface properties influences the susceptibility of lettuce to E. coli.

This complements USDA’s ongoing research efforts in the field, offering valuable insights into the complex dynamics underlying food safety in leafy greens.

Continued collaboration and refinement of the model hold promise in strengthening global food systems against microbial threats.

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