New technologies to detect foodborne pathogens with the goal of improving food safety

The team is developing a sensor-enabled food supply chain decision-support system to assess and mitigate Salmonella risks and multidimensional threats to the food supply chain to improve health equity. The sensing technologies are unique in that they can identify and detect low concentrations of Salmonella within a 30-minute time span. By combining results from samples throughout the food supply chain and integrating national population-level data, the system will populate a centralized database to assess, visualize and predict risks. 

“A unique feature of the project is that it is not isolated to part of the food chain, it serves to protect from the farm, through transportation, processing and retail,” said Co-PI Tim Safranski, Professor of Animal Science