Research and policy to protect vegetable crops from human pathogens

Location: Colorado State University; Fort Collins, Colorado

Sponsors: Colorado State University Infectious Diseases Supercluster, American Phytopathological Society, The Center for Produce Safety, The American Seed Trade Association
     
      

Date: October 20-21, 2008

Symposium Overview
Recent disease outbreaks traced to vegetable crops contaminated with human pathogens have increased awareness of potential risks associated with vegetable production and heightened interest in the mechanisms by which human pathogens persist on plant surfaces. This presents an opportunity to extend the body of existing research related to pathogen survival on plant surfaces, entry into the plant interior, modulation of host defenses and multiplication in plant intercellular spaces. Research related to human pathogen infection of animal hosts – as well as work studying human pathogen association with plants – indicates association of human pathogens with plants may involve processes similar to those used by phytopathogens. In addition, discoveries by food microbiologists about the activities and behavior of human pathogens within plants are causing reassessment of food protection expectations for the limits of survival, growth, and competitiveness with plant-associated microflora.

A current priority is bringing together members of the food safety and plant pathology communities to share technical expertise and identify knowledge gaps in order to guide future research efforts. The Infectious Diseases SuperCluster at Colorado State University is funding a mini-symposium in Fort Collins on the topic of “Human Pathogens on Plants: Research and policy to protect vegetable crops from human pathogens” (HPOP).  Colorado State University will host a two-day meeting including seminars by leaders in relevant areas of academic research and industry as well as discussions of policy and funding priorities. It is anticipated that attendees will include members of the regional academic community as well as a national audience of interested researchers, policy makers and representatives of funding agencies.

The overall aim of this effort is to develop communication tools that identify priorities among aspects of food safety research that involve interactions between plants and human pathogens. These communication documents will be disseminated to decision-makers in order to support and influence funding agenda development by various entities that may support science-based food safety solutions for fresh produce. An additional outcome will be a technical program agenda for an International Plant:Human Pathogen Interactions Symposium in 2009.