My laboratory has several projects going related to foodborne pathogens. The newest project involves the investigation of pathogenic bacteria associated with organic produce from Delaware farms. The increase in the demand for healthier and safe foods has led to an increase in the demand for organically grown foods. The organic food industry has become the fastest growing industry in the past decade. This project will expand over the course of the next year to include farms in the tri-state area. Thus far, Listeria monocytogenes have been isolated and characterized using biochemical testing. Presumptive Salmonella spp. obtained based on growth characteristics on selective medium will be further characterized via Ribotyping and DNA sequencing.
