A5021021068- Listeria monocytogenes in Food Safety
- Plant Disease Management Techniques
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- Food Safety and Hygiene
- Phytoplasmas and Hemiptera pathogens
- Plant Physiology and Cultivation Studies
- Berry genetics and cultivation research
- Microbial Inactivation Methods
- Human Health and Disease
- Plant Pathogenic Bacteria Studies
- Fungal Plant Pathogen Control
- Cocoa and Sweet Potato Agronomy
- Public Health Policies and Education
- Greenhouse Technology and Climate Control
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Plant Pathogens and Resistance
- Postharvest Quality and Shelf Life Management
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Advances in Oncology and Radiotherapy
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Flowering Plant Growth and Cultivation
- Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
University of Georgia
2013-2022
Sandia National Laboratories California
2019
Plant (United States)
2013
Contamination of fresh blueberries via contact with an equipment surface is important food hygiene/safety issue. In this study, four and six over-the-row blueberry machine harvesters in Georgia or Oregon were each sampled twice on two different harvest days the 2022 season. Nine sites top loaders (n = 8) seven bottom 2) before after cleaning/sanitation. Populations total aerobes (TA), yeasts molds (YM), coliforms (TC), presence fecal (FC) enterococci (EC) collected samples determined. Data...
Xylella fastidiosa causes bacterial leaf scorch, a new disease of southern highbush blueberry in the southeastern United States. Infections occlude xylem affected plants, causing drought-like symptoms and, eventually, plant death. To assess likelihood mitigation scorch through cultural practices such as pruning or hedging we determined localization and population density X. naturally infected plants with varying levels severity. Stem segments were sampled from current season's growth down to...
Although previous studies have examined microbial loads on food contact surfaces in blueberry packing plants, there is currently no information regarding risks associated with mechanical berry harvesters used commercial production. In this study, we surveyed up to nine fruit seven each of 2015 and 2016 the field. These included shaking rods at front harvester, sidewalls harvesting tunnel behind mechanism, catcher plates collecting detached berries, horizontal vertical conveyor belts, lugs...
Berry crops are increasingly being harvested mechanically to reduce labor costs, but there is a lack of research on best practices for cleaning and sanitizing mechanical harvesters maintain proper food hygiene. Laboratory experiments were conducted with surface coupons cut from materials commonly used blueberry harvesters, including polyethylene, high-density aluminum, extruded polycarbonate, acetal plastic, stainless steel. Surfaces differed in their hydrophobicity roughness, ranging 0.04...
Bark inclusions are an understudied structural defect in trees and shrubs. They consist of areas bark on adjacent parts stems or scaffolds, typically the inner faces a narrow fork, which become overgrown internalized to occupy part wood between stems. Here, described for first time occur cane unions at crown southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids) cultivars ‘Farthing’ ‘Meadowlark’, both characterized by narrow, vase-shaped architecture base plant, leading...
This study examined the hygiene status of blueberry harvest containers cleaned/sanitized with various approaches. Each four facilities in Georgia or Oregon was visited twice during 2021 season. Swab samples from used berry lugs (UL), (CL), handpicking buckets (UB), and (CB) (n = 160) flats (UF) (CF) as well UB CB were collected. The populations total aerobes (TA), yeasts molds (YM), coliforms (TC), incidences fecal (FC), enterococci (EC) determined. In Georgia, UL had significantly (P <...