Objectives: Over the course of the project the research and extension team will aim to achieve the following 2 objectives:
1. Identify and gather historical laboratory and field-based data generated by the project PIs (other published CPS projects and industry partners) on the presence and persistence of microbial pathogens and indicators in produce production systems with a specific focus on agricultural production water.
1.b. Utilize the ‘Delphi Method’ to build qualitative data to assess potential risk where data is not currently available. We aim to bring together experts from produce growing regions and commodities across the country to evaluate hazards and relative risks with respect to the proposed language in Subpart E.
2. Using historical and newly generated data, develop a Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) tool that will encompass probabilistic assessment of factors influencing pathogen survival and risk to produce.
3. Integrate the objective 1 pathogen/indicator datasets into the QMRA tool to quantify relative risk implications of spatial, temporal, and crop-specific variables.
4. Develop tailored case studies for agricultural water use that represent diverse growing conditions across the country. These case studies will allow for broader dissemination of the tool into the fresh produce community, offer a preliminary assessment of risk for the individual users, and provide a framework for the users to modify their scenarios as their existing/proposed production practices evolve over time.
Abstract: To enhance industry and regulatory confidence in making risk-based decisions on agricultural water and its use, our team proposes to build a risk ranking tool, backed by Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA), that allows users to identify hazards and practices that increase potential risk (soil amendments of animal origin, overhead irrigation, surface water) as well as mitigation strategies that reduce risk (change in irrigation method, inclusion of agricultural water treatment, die-off) applicable to their production system. This proposal aims to use historical laboratory and field data coupled with QMRA to quantify the impact of microbiological risk due to growing practices outlined by FDA in proposed subpart E. This effort to develop resources for industry will enable improved evaluation of the impact(s) of crop characteristics, among other factors, on risk posed by agricultural water use during production of covered produce and provide scientific evidence to aid in risk reduction and support regulatory compliance.