Keeping us all safe

• Disease detectives: Strawberry farmers in California’s Central Coast area were frustrated about a puzzling pattern of fruit quality decline and plant death — until the UC ANR Cooperative Extension diagnostic lab in Salinas discovered the cause. The lab found that a pathogen previously known to affect only leaves was also damaging other parts of the fruit, and lab testing also revealed that some cultivars had a defect that caused browning.
  
  
• Monitoring pathogens in the water: Researchers at UC’s Western Center for Food Safety are scrutinizing reservoirs and irrigation canals for potentially pathogenic bacteria — including E. coli and Salmonella — to prevent contaminated agricultural water from tainting raw produce. In addition to improving irrigation water quality and food safety, this water quality surveillance project is helping to improve the safety of drinking and recreational waters.

Master Food Preservers are trained volunteers teaching safe food handling techniques in the home. Preservation of all types of food is enjoying a huge resurgence of interest for food security and the ‘knowing where your food comes from’ movement.

— Deborah Giraud
UC ANR farm and community and
economic development advisor