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Food Safety

Keeping food safe from microbial contamination, high levels of arsenic or nitrates, animal drugs, mycotoxins, or possibly risky pesticide residues is a never-ending challenge.

While advances in science have vastly improved our ability to track and identify pathogens that infect food, other trends have created new challenges for those working to assure food safety. The longer and more complex the supply chain between a farmer’s field and a consumer’s dinner table, the more places where unwanted contaminants or microbial pathogens can find a way into food.

Featured Publications

Microbial Safety of Dairy Manure Fertilizer Application in Raspberry Production

Sheng L, Shen X, Benedict C, Su Y, Tsai H-C, Schacht E, Kruger CE, Drennan M and Zhu M-J. 2019 Microbial Safety of Dairy Manure Fertilizer Application in Raspberry Production. Front. Microbiol. 10:2276

Perspective on Dietary Risk Assessment of Pesticide Residues in Organic Food

Benbrook, C. and B. Baker. May 2014. Sustainability.

Initial Reflections on the Annals of Internal Medicine Paper “Are Organic Foods Safer and Healthier than Conventional Alternatives? A Systematic Review”

Charles Benbrook; September 2012.

WSU Extension – Food Safety

WSU Food Safety website.

Reducing Food Safety Risks in Apples: A Self-Assessment Workbook for Producers of Apples, Juice and Cider

CSANR Technical Report #2

Additional Publications

Microbiology of Water: Irrigation to Ingredient

A powerpoint created by Dr. K. Killinger, WSU.

WSU Field Day and Organic Farm, Puyallup, On‐Farm Mock GAP Certification

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) handbook.

Food Safety Starts on the Farm: Produce and Pathogens, Factors Influencing Presence, Survival and Growth – Fall 2008

Article in Sustaining the Pacific Northwest Newsletter

Food Safety Starts on the Farm: Introduction to Foodborne Illness and Foodborne Pathogens – Spring 2008

Article in Sustaining the Pacific Northwest Newsletter

Produce Food Safety

A powerpoint created by Dr. K. Killinger, WSU.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP): An Overview

A powerpoint presentation developed by Richard H Dougherty, School of Food Science, Washington State University that introduces GAP concepts.

Antibiotics in Animal Manure – Implications to Sustainable Agriculture

Poster presentation – BIOAg Research Symposium 2008.

Survivability of Fecal Coliform in Soil after Winter Application of Dairy Slurry on a Transitional-organic, Grazing Based Dairy – December 2005

Article in Sustaining the Pacific Northwest Newsletter

Diving into Compost Tea

Carpenter-Boggs, L. 2005. Biocycle 46:61-62.

Compost Tea and Food Safety

Bary, A. and D. Granatstein. 2003. This article discusses the increasing interest in use of compost teas for food production and potential food safety risks.