Ensuring A Safe Food Supply Continuing to ensure a safe food supply requires
the establishment of good growing, harvesting, storage and processing practices, and the development of technologies that rapidly, accurately, and quantitatively detect disea se-causing and spoilage organisms in food. Horticulturists and food scientists at GENEVA specialize in the detection, elimination, and/or control of harmful food agents.

• Toxicologists at GENEVA have worked collaboratively with fruit and vegetable breeds to ensure that new varieties of fruits and vegetables are safe for consumption.

• Phytochemicals that are either beneficial or potentially detrimental to health are being identified in various fruits and vegetables by researchers at GENEVA who are then able to make recommendations to industry and consumers that improve the health and longevity through diet, nutrition, and fortified food processes.

• Food scientists at GENEVA conduct research on heat-resistant molds in an effort to help New York food companies become more aware of spoilage organisms that cause significant loss of product annually.

• New York companies implement processing procedures and appropriate techniques and methods recommended by Geneva that focus on microbes like E. coli to improve food safety.

• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) techniques studied at GENEVA are bringing a broader understanding of this safety approach to food across the entire food chain, from farm to fork.

• Highly sensitive and rapid methods of detecting chemical and microbial contaminants in food are being developed at GENEVA. Liposome-amplified immunoanalytical and DNA-probe technologies are being applied to food safety challenges.

"Areas in food science including improved processing technologies, microbial spoilage and food safety and flavor and quality retention will remain key issues as we head into the next century. The department of food science at GENEVA has the expertise and facilities to address such issues." C.R. Binkley Knouse Foods, Peach Glen, Pa

A look at some recent accomplishments

Use chemical, histological and animal facilities at the toxicology laboratory to test foods for additives, anti-nutrients, and natural and environment toxicants (Stowsand).

Established a Food Venture Center that helps food processors develop proper, licensed scale-up procedures to bring new products to market) (Downing).

Helped New York farms grow high quality fruits and vegetables while reducing the amount of and frequency of pesticide applications.

Developed Liposome immunomigration assay for rapid screening of samples for toxicants and pesticide residues (Durst).

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