Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The meeting convened at 9:17 a.m.: there was a round of introductions Review of agenda - Diana Barrett made a motion to accept the meeting agenda, seconded by Ann Lefcourt and passed Approval of 2008 minutes: The minutes were discussed and a few changes and additions suggested. Changes and correction will be sent to Anne Plotto. Alan Lefcourt made a motion to accept with revisions; seconded by Diana Barrett and passed. Introductory statement: The Chair thanked United Fresh for their support to the S-294 working group and helping organizing the meeting. Reuben Moore, the Administrative Advisor: He said we must maintain NIMS website because it is the site viewed by evaluators. Names must be updated: there are 57 participants currently listed on the website. Project summary is on the web. Next year is the termination, so the termination report and the project must be rewritten by September 2010. Need objectives that people are working on. S-294 was nominated for award excellence. Great publication record and deserves recognition for the great work. Need better acknowledgment of collaboration for award Question of HATCH funds available for travel. All land grant universities get HATCH funds. These funds may go all competitive, but not a good idea since many small projects will not be adequately funded. Twenty-five percent of HATCH funds must be spent on multi-state activities. S-294 is an approved multi-state activity, so the experiment station administrators should be made aware that funds should be made available for travel and multi-state activity. However. he noted that UCD did not allocate funds for travel and asked the group how funds were handled. Moore indicated that AES Director has discretion regarding travel and other support. Ratings by NSF of agriculture expenditures were UCD was #1 for many years, but last year (2007) Florida was #1: UCD was #2, with George #3, and, Texas A&M #4. There is not much spending on agriculture in the stimulus bill, so we must hang in through these tough economic times until things turn around. Diana Barrett asked how productivity is gauged. Supporting grants and published papers in referred journals are used in evaluating productivity. Not many people are receiving speciality crops grants, but not all the grants have been awarded. Ram Rao: CSREES Representative: He suggested that we focus on outcome of research; how can this group contribute to solve important practical problems. He discussed the future direction of research and showed a set of slides with a lot of information outlining the changes that were occurring in the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) replaced National Research Initiatives. The slide set will be made available to S-294 members. On October 1, 2009, the name was changed to National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). CSREES authorities will be incorporated into NIFA and a new head appointed to a 6-year term by the President. Its authorization will be increased from 500 to 700 million. CSREES is developing vision, mission goal and core values for the new organization He briefly described the change from 4 NRI topics to 6 AFRI topics. He listed competitive grants programs that could be of interest to S-294 members. 1. NIFSI National integrated food safety initiative ($14.7 M). 2. Agriculture and food research initiative (AFRI - previously described above) ($9.0 M). 3. Higher education grants; Nanotechnology portfolio; and Improved food quality and value (Basic and applied research in food quality). Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR): Food safety and nutrition (Phase I: Explore novel ideas ($80 K), development phase ($350 K). 4. Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) must have 100% non-federal matching funds. Work with stake holders from formulation of problem to completion. Multi-state and multi-institutional (231 applied 27 awarded). The five areas we may be interested in are 1. Threats from pests and disease, 2. Production efficiency, 2. New technology, and 4. Prevent detect monitor control respond to potential food safety hazards. Dave Gombas: made the following comment: UFFV is not pleased with SCRI because research did not result in solutions to problems, but just concluded that additional research was needed. He did not know where the matching funds part would come from. He is heartened that the direction of research is to answer practical problems and that advisory boards are being asked their priorities. He stated that many stake holds are hungry for researchers to answer their problems. Mikal Saltveit inquired if there is a website where researchers could contact stake holders to initiate mutual research. Diana Barrett asked about matching funds. Matching funds are dictated by congress and there is not much room for flexibility. Dave Gombas: He welcomed us and emphasized how important our work was to the industry. He said that the industry does not do any research and relies on us to answer practical problems. There are 17 registrants and 15 poster presentations. The posters will be setup at 12:00 and viewed for 3 to 6 on Wednesday. The applied research shown in posters is just what the industry wants done. Mikal Saltveit was selected to represent S-294 as one judge. There will be two breakout sessions and the science symposium on Wednesday. The meeting next year will be here at about same time; April 20  23, 2010. Discussion: In a discussion that followed, recommendations were made to improve the interaction between members of S-294 and UFPA. While UFPA has no money for research, the industry representatives at the show are interested in discussing possible collaborations. Since the meeting deals with both fresh-cut and whole produce, the question was raised if S-294 should also address whole produce. Bill Hurst commented that the objectives of S-294 are mainly for fresh-cut, but some of the objectives also are to do with whole produce. There was general agreement to modify the objectives of the rewrite to include whole fruits and vegetables. Alan Lefcourt asked if there was still a reason to separate pre and post harvest. Discussion was that there is increasing blurring of the distinctions. We should market the s-294 to include more members and to expand the base to include other specialties to broaden our research base New secretary: Mikal Saltveit nominated Jeff Brecht, seconded by Sunny (Yaguang Luo) Jeff was unanimously elected. There was some question about his duties and it was concluded that past officers will be involved in writing the termination report and the rewrite of the new project. Topics for Science Symposium: Alan Lefcourt suggested the topic oc biofilms as they have been responsible for a few disease outbreaks. Discussions during the conference call included many industry representatives (around 40) who listened to the discussion about the topics and speakers for the science symposium. How can we get better communication between industry and researchers? Diana Barrett talked about the "speed dating" to get UCD academics to talk to industry representatives for 15 min each. Dave encouraged S-294 members to interact with UFP members at the beach party this evening. Station Reports: Alan M. Lefcourt (USDA, Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory ARS, Beltsville) - She described the development of a rapid screening method for bacteria using colloidal silver. Online imaging methods were also presented for apple inspection for quality and contamination with fecal material. Anne Plotto (USDA, ARS, CSPL, Florida) - Laser etching of fresh produce did not increase decay of water loss from citrus, peppers or tomatoes. Tested alkaline surface washes on whole fruit to reduce microbial contamination of fresh-cut. Studied the use of heat treatments to reduce the impact of chilling injury on volatile production and flavor of tomatoes. Aubrey Mendonca (Iowa State University) - Studied effective way for the control and detection of pathogens in fresh produce. Anionic acidic solutions were effective at reducing pathogen levels on peppers. High pressure treatments were better at reducing pathogens moist than on dry nuts. Bill Hurst (University of Georgia) - Listed the personal changes in the microbiology group during the past year. Vapor treatments with three antimicrobials were effective in controlling pathogens on sliced and whole tomatoes. System studies determined the fate of E. coli O157:H7 on fresh and fresh-cut iceberg lettuce and spinach from harvest to packaging. Naturally micro floras were identified that inhibited E. coli. The effectiveness of the concentration and duration of exposure to various sanitizers on controlling cross-contamination was evaluated. Methods were studied to eliminate surface pathogens in studies of internal microbial contamination. These methods were used on studies on internalization in lettuce, spinach, and leafy greens. Diane Barrett (University of California, Davis) - Effect of heat, high pressure and pulsed electrical fields on integrity of onion tissue. Instrumental methods to determine textural properties of watermelon in the field. Development of new methods to determine mold in tomatoes. Eva Almenar (Michigan State University school of packaging) - The effect of packaging and temperature were studied on the aroma compounds from fresh-cut romaine lettuce. Jeff Brecht (University of Florida) - There was interest in reported results that Salmonella bacteria can grow on fresh cut tomatoes at 7 to 10 C. There was a discussion of the need for data on temperature of displayed fresh-cut and the design of display cases to maintain the correct temperature. Jennifer DeEll (OMAFRA, Ontario Ministry of Ag) - Postharvest treatments of whole apples to reduce browning of fresh-cut slices. Maturity had a significant effect as did the holding time after CA and before slicing. Browning increased in fruit held at lower temperatures (chilling injury?), those treated with 1-MCP, and those sliced sooner after CA than those held for 7 days in air.. Bo Beaulieu (USDA, ARS, Southern Regional Research Center) - Continued his work on quantifying volatile components in melon, and how they change during CA and MAP storage. Cantaloupe cultivars were evaluated for volatile production. Extend work to berries. Marita Cantwell (University of California, Davis) - Described the 3-day workshop on Fresh-cut produce at UCD: the next is on September 22-24, 2009. Described how ammonia can be used as an indicator of stressful atmosphere for intact and fresh-cut vegetables. Evaluated methods to control browning of processed potatoes. Evaluated a range of modified atmospheres on packaged vegetable trays. Evaluated various treatments for microbial control on fresh-cut cantaloupe. Studied the effect of modified atmospheres on ascorbic acid content of fresh-cut lettuce. Mikal Saltveit (UC Davis) - Presented an update on hand-book 66. Outlined methods to measure titratiable acidity in the field. Instruments were assembled to exam the efflux of carbon dioxide from fresh-cut fruits and vegetables in order to resolve the sources: 1) carbon dioxide dissolved in cellular fluids, 2) carbon produced by immediate enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions, and 3) carbon dioxide produced by induced increases in metabolism. Studies were also undertaken to examine changes in the anaerobic compensation point of fruits and vegetables with maturity and duration of storage. Roger Stanly (Primary Industries, Queensland, Australia) - Presented studies on anti browning coatings, coatings to maintain active compounds below phytotoxic levels, studies of maintain volatile from tropical fruit under cold storage, adding volatiles back to improve quality, and NMR to select maturity of mango and tomato for fresh cut. Xuetong Fan (USDA, ARS, ERRC) - Anti-browning and anti-microbial properties of sodium acid sulfate were evaluated on apple slices. Treatments that were effective in reducing flesh browning caused skin browning. Studied the tolerance of lettuce and spinach to radiation. Studied the effect of various commercially available formulations to reduce contamination on cantaloupe. Yaguang Luo (USDA, ARS, BARC Food quality lab) - Natural micro-flora can compete with E. coli. Temperature abuse can cause product deterioration and a rise in E coli to dangerous levels, however, E coli can survive in presence of large natural micro-flora and grow faster that natural micro-flora; e.g., grow 2 log when product still looks good. Studied the transference of contaminate with knifes and the effect of tissue damaging in field core lettuce. Coring knife can be a source of microbial innoculum because of poor weld connecting the blade with the handle has small holes where the bacteria colonize. Studied internal microbial contamination: contamination goes down stem scar to about 1.5 cm into the fruit. Removal stem scar and columella would only reduce 3 % of fresh weight, but would greatly reduce contamination. Yanyum Zhao (Oregon State University) - Effects of decontaminating high hydrostatic pressure on the activity of enzymes associated with reduction in quality of blueberries. Coatings were studied that will reduce water loss in vented clamshell containers. Yong Li (University of Hawaii, Manoa) - Use PCR to finger print microbial contamination New Business (Plans coordination efforts, grant proposals deadlines,etc.) Many people expressed interest in collaborating on research projects. John Beaulieu suggested having the reports distributed earlier so we could come here to discuss collaborations and not just read the reports. There could be a site where we could share ideas and initiate collaborations. Mary Reid maintains the site where S-294 could be used to exchange information within the group. Bo Beaulieu suggested that more S-294 members become members of UFPA. Only members of UFPA ($250) can be on the food tech and safety committee. UFPA strength is in their lobbing efforts to get money into our research rather than fund the research themselves. Other institutes and trade associations fund research, but it appears to be a historical. Could the UFPA act as a clearing house where S-294 members would write a short proposal and then a consortium of a few businesses would come together to fund that project. Funding match maker to fund research to get preliminary date to write grants for specialty grants. A successful mechanism to get funding for research to answer a problem and create a useful product. Bo Beaulieu proposed a motion to form a taskforce to formulate possible methods to get UFPA to act as a clearing house to bring together scientists and funding sources (industry) to support research. The taskforce will be made up of Jeff Brecht, Alan Lefcourt, Xuetong Fan, and Bo Beaulieu. It was suggested to have the next meeting a day before the UFPA next year (April 19, 2010). The final rewrite of S-294 is needed by August 31 2010. Jeff Brecht proposed to have a draft of the rewrite sent in early so that it can be distributed and read before the meeting so we can devote the time to more constructive activities. The meeting was adjourned at 4:51