16AGRITECHCAT5: Bacteriophage Management of On-Farm Salmonella Contamination of Vine Fruits

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Salmonella spp. are one of most important foodborne pathogens worldwide, and incidences caused by contaminated foodof non-animal origin have been increasing over the last decade, reflecing rising consumers' demands for fresh/minimallyprocessedfruit and vegetables. Crops where a post-harvest management period takes place outside are particularly at risk.project focuses on Salmonella contamination of vine fruits (raisins, sultanas), which are dried outside post harvest andexposed to fouling by birds. The impacts throughout the supply chain are signifcant, from the grower to the retailer, forexample the product recall costs in the UK are estimated to be at least £500K per year. It is difficult to remove Salmonellafrom vine fruits using existing technologies and we propose to develop a novel and bespoke product based onbacteriophages (phages) that specifically target this pathogen and that can be applied during the on farm processing of thefruit. The Lead Organisation in the proposal: APS Biocontrol Ltd. [APS] has already developed an innovative technology forplant pathogen control, based on safe, naturally-occurring, highly specific phages. This project will see APS team with aUK academic, Prof Martha Clokie from the University of Leicester who has led several Reseach Council and CharitableTrust funded bacteriophage reseach and development projects, and who has experience and expertise in working with bothSalmonella and phages. APS and the Leicester team will work together in order translate APS' technology to prevent onfarmcrop contamination by Salmonella. Whilst the technology will be applied mainly outside of the UK, financial benefitswill be realised in the UK: improved food security, reduced wastage and increased trade. The consortium combinestechnology specialists (APS), academic experts (Leicester), a major producer (Community Foods) and the UK's marketleader in dried fruit sales (Tesco), who will encourage technology pull-through by using the phage product on the vine fruitsthat they sell.The focus of our work is the vine fruit industry (raisins and sultanas), where contamination with pathogens (mainlySalmonella) can have catastrophic effects throughout the supply chain. Vine fruits represent half of the global dried fruitsupply chain (2014 value: $7,470m - a 5% increase on 2013), wih UK companies representing 15-20% of this market bothby imports and by growing through partners. Currently only a relatively small amount of of the vine fruits are tested forSalmonella contamination, but as the scale of this Industry-wide problem of Salmonella contamination of vine fruits isappreciated, this is likely to change. Increased testing will reveal the full extent of the problem which will lead to significantfurther financial impact on the industry.In order to address this problem, we are an industrially-driven multi-partner consortium and will develop a technologyenabled, strategic innovation for managing Salmonella contamination, with treatments based on formulations of naturallyoccurring, highly-specific and environmentally-acceptable agents phages. The project will involve technology translation from academia, laboratory-scale development and pilot field trials. The project is in line with the UK Strategy for Agricultural Technologies through translating research into practice. It will develop and exploit a biocontrol technology in the UK, led by an innovative SME. The technology has the potential to reach global markets, with significant return to the UK Agri-Techindustry, benefiting UK research and production, the country's export and import businesses, as well as the retail industry.Also, the focus on new biocontrols aligns with EU policy to reduce the impact of pesticide use on people's health and theenvironment. It also aligns with recommendations for a better analysis of the prevalence of food-borne pathogens andrelevant implementation of Good Agricultural Practice.