Outmaneuvering Foodborne Pathogens At various locations, ARS
scientists are doing research to make leafy greens and other
fresh produce safer for consumers. Produce and leafy greens in
the photo are (clockwise from top): romaine lettuce, cabbage,
cilantro in a bed of broccoli sprouts, spinach and other leafy
greens, green onions, tomatoes, and green leaf lettuce. If
pathogens like E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella had a motto for
survival, it might be: “Find! Bind! Multiply!” That pretty much
sums up what these food-poisoning bacteria do in nature, moving
through our environment to find a host they can bind to and use
as a staging area for multiplying and spreading. But ARS food-
safety scientists in California are determined to find out how
to stop these and other foodborne pathogenic bacteria in their
tracks, before the microbes can make their way to leafy greens
and other favorite salad ingredients like tomatoes and sprouts.
The research is needed to help prevent the pathogens from
turning up in fresh produce t