Re: [compost_tea] NOP pr....

From: Jeff Lowenfels <jeff_at_gardener.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2004 10:10:28 -0800

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release

Contact: Amy Steigman
American Phytopathological Society
Phone: +1.651.454.7250
Web: http://www.apsnet.org/meetings/2004/media.htm
E-mail: mailto:asteigman_at_scisoc.org

Keeping your peas and carrots safe to eat
Plant pathologists present research on food safety at APS Annual Meeting in=
 Anaheim,
California

St. Paul, MN (June 8, 2004) - Recent advances in food safety research are e=
nabling
plant pathologists to gain insight into how dangerous human pathogens, such=
 as
strains of E.coli and Salmonella, can survive on fresh fruits and vegetable=
s
and what can be done to control future outbreaks.

According to Steve Scheuerell, faculty research associate at Oregon State U=
niversity's
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, there has been an increase in rep=
orted
human disease outbreaks associated with fresh produce over the last couple =
decades.
"When an outbreak occurs, most of the infected produce has already been con=
sumed,"
said Scheuerell. "Usually recalls won't help. This is why prevention is key=
 to
keeping food safe," he said.

To reduce the potential for the transfer of pathogens to fresh produce, pla=
nt
pathologists are stressing the need to implement and maintain sanitary grow=
ing
and harvesting conditions worldwide. "As the U.S. increases its importation=
 of
produce, it is increasingly important to us that growers everywhere have go=
od
quality irrigation water and sanitary conditions for their workers," Scheue=
rell
said.

"On the domestic front, the National Organic Program has taken the lead in =
implementing
proactive measures to prevent potential contamination of fresh produce with=
 human
pathogens," Scheuerell said. Examples include mandated pre-harvest interval=
s
for the application of manure and proposed quality assurance testing regula=
tions
for compost tea regulations (a brew of compost with water used as a biocont=
rol
agent or fertilizer). "Using techniques developed by plant pathologists, sc=
ientists
are just beginning to understand how human pathogens colonize leaf surfaces=
,
and how their survival can be influenced by manipulating leaf surface micro=
flora
and environmental conditions," he said.

Plant pathologists from across the country will present more on this topic =
during
the Food Safety as Influenced by Phyllosphere Microflora symposium at the A=
PS
Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif., July 31 - August 4, 2004. The food safe=
ty
symposium will be held Tuesday, August 3, 2004 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at th=
e
Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif. Members of the media are invited=
 to
attend annual meeting events; complimentary registration is available.

The American Phytopathological Society (APS) is a non-profit, professional =
scientific
organization dedicated to the study and management of plant diseases, with =
5,000
members worldwide.
 
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Received on Tue Jun 08 2004 - 23:58:56 EDT

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