The Produce Contamination Problem: Causes and Solutions, Third Edition is a fully revised resource on preventative controls at all stages of handling, including the use of new technologies for the inactivation of pathogens in both water and commodity. The book begins with an analysis of the contamination problem to identify novel research designed to understand the interaction of human pathogens. Outbreak characteristics vulnerable to contamination are discussed, along with global issues surrounding production. This new edition includes updates on regulatory issues and the newest advances in technologies for the detection of pathogens, whole genome sequencing, and utility in test and hold programs.

Understanding the causes and contributing factors leading to outbreaks of food-borne illness associated with contamination of fresh produce is a worldwide challenge for everyone from the growers of fresh-cut produce through the entire production and delivery process. The premise of "The Produce Contamination Problem" is that when human pathogen contamination of fresh produce occurs, it is extremely difficult to reduce pathogen levels sufficiently to assure microbiological safety with the currently available technologies. A wiser strategy would be to avoid crop production conditions that result in microbial contamination to start.

These critical, problem-oriented chapters have been written by researchers active in the areas of food safety and microbial contamination during production, harvesting, packing and fresh-cut processing of horticultural crops, and were designed to provide methods of contamination avoidance. Coverage includes policy and practices in the United States, Mexico and Central America, Europe, and Japan.
Addresses food-borne contaminations from a prevention view, providing proactive solutions to the problemsCovers core sources of contamination and methods for identifying those sourcesIncludes best practice and regulatory information