The University of California, Davis researchers have received $5m in grants from US Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to carry out three new research projects.
This financial support is part of USDA's $19m effort to ensure the availability of a safe, nutritious and economically competitive food supply.
One of these research projects worth more than $4.7m is aimed at prevention of foodborne illnesses by developing and eventually commercialising new fresh-produce processing technologies and methods.
The project is being undertaken in partnership with Drexel and Rutgers universities. Its research team will include food microbiologists, engineers, food chemists and process modellers.
The second project intends to identify the genetic basis of traits of lactic acid bacteria found in fruits and vegetables.
According to UC Davis, these bacteria are important for preventing food spoilage and for producing fermented foods and beverages.
The third project will focus on two important strains of E. coli (O157:H7) and salmonella (SL1344) bacteria. The research team will investigate how these bacteria enter and thrive inside leafy vegetables, especially lettuce and spinach.
