MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF ORGANIC PRODUCE PRE- AND POST- HARVEST ON MARYLAND FARMS AND IMPACT OF GROWING AND HANDLING METHODS ON EPIPHYTIC BACTERIA

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dc.contributor.advisorBuchanan, Robert Len_US
dc.contributor.advisorMicallef, Shirley Aen_US
dc.contributor.authorXU, Aixiaen_US
dc.contributor.departmentFood Scienceen_US
dc.contributor.publisherDigital Repository at the University of Marylanden_US
dc.contributor.publisherUniversity of Maryland (College Park, Md.)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2015-02-06T06:30:43Z
dc.date.available2015-02-06T06:30:43Z
dc.date.issued2014en_US
dc.description.abstractAlthough the consumption of organic produce has dramatically increased in recent years and many outbreaks continue to occur, the microbiological safety of organic produce has not been fully assessed. This study generated microbiological data to evaluate organic produce safety and also assessed the impact of growing methods (ground cover effects) and handling methods (washing practices) in organic lettuce systems. The study evaluated microbiological safety of pre- and post-harvest fresh produce samples from small organic farms in Maryland, the effect of mulching on survival of indicator bacteria and the impact of post-harvest washing method on microbiological safety and epiphytic bacterial communities. Results indicate that (1) washed post-harvest produce had higher risks than unwashed and pre-harvest organic produce as measured by indicator bacteria E. coli, total coliforms, APC, yeast and mold; (2) different mulches affected the microbial levels differently; (3) different washing methods altered the bacterial communities both immediately and following 5 days of storage. This study presents data that could be used to assess food safety risks of organic produce associated with their cultivation and on-farm handling practices.en_US
dc.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.13016/M2Q02X
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/16132
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledFood scienceen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledPlant sciencesen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledfood safetyen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledorganic produceen_US
dc.titleMICROBIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF ORGANIC PRODUCE PRE- AND POST- HARVEST ON MARYLAND FARMS AND IMPACT OF GROWING AND HANDLING METHODS ON EPIPHYTIC BACTERIAen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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