Ways Smart Surfaces and Coatings Can Help Protect the Produce Industry
Improving the safety and water efficiency of specialty fruit and vegetable crops with smart surfaces will be the goal of a new transdisciplinary project led by Texas A&M University. A $2.4 million grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture is funding the project.
The four-year project, titled “Next-Generation Smart Surfaces and Coatings to Improve Food Safety and Water Efficiency of U.S. Specialty Crops.” The project will focus on the development and design of smart, novel surfaces and coatings for production agriculture.
Luis Cisneros-Zevallos, a Professor in the Horticulture Department of Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Bryan-College Station, will serve as lead investigator for the project. Texas A&M colleague and Associate Professor Mustafa Akbulut will serve as project co-leader.
Foodborne illnesses represent a significant health burden. According to CDC survey data, about 10 million Americans per year suffer from domestically acquired foodborne illnesses. And illness caused by contaminated specialty crops is estimated to cost the domestic economy approximately $18 billion.
“Considering the enormity of the burden of foodborne illnesses, even a 1% improvement in overall microbiological safety of specialty crops through the utilization of this technology can translate into a significant reduction in outbreaks and hospitalization as well as economic savings,” Cisneros-Zevallos says.
The researchers are tackling food safety issues by developing novel spraying or dipping solutions and coatings to improve the microbiological safety and hygiene of farming tools and accessories used in harvesting. They will also investigate the use of this technology in conjunction with contact surfaces used for storing, sorting and processing specialty crops.
“This project will lead to the creation of a safer and more affordable food supply and enhance quality of life by reducing the risk of foodborne illness associated with specialty crop food and food products,” Cisneros-Zevallos says.
Akbulut noted the project will also serve to bring a broader awareness of the emerging technologies of sanitary design that can be applied to tools and surfaces used during harvesting and post-harvesting.
Both said the successful completion of the project will contribute toward enhancing the ability of specialty crop growers and packers to produce, pack and market safe commodities for U.S. consumers.
The novel spraying and dipping-based formulations will effectively inhibit bacterial adhesion on select polymer, wood and metal surfaces.
Researchers hope project results will help in the development of scalable processes for the permanent modification of metal and polymer harvest and postharvest tools and equipment with nanotextures during manufacturing.
For more about the project’s objectives and implementation, continue reading at agrilifetoday.tamu.edu.
Subscribe Today For
