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

沙门氏菌是全球最重要的食源性病原体之一，过去十年来，非动物源性食品污染导致的发病率不断上升，反映出消费者对新鲜/最低限度加工的水果和蔬菜的需求不断增加。收获后管理期在室外进行的作物尤其面临风险。项目重点是葡萄果实（葡萄干、小葡萄）的沙门氏菌污染，这些果实在收获后在室外干燥，容易受到鸟类的污染。从种植者到零售商，整个供应链的影响都很大，例如，英国的产品召回成本估计每年至少为50万英镑。使用现有技术很难从葡萄果实中去除沙门氏菌，我们建议开发一种基于噬菌体的新型定制产品，该产品专门针对这种病原体，并可在水果的农场加工过程中应用。该提案的牵头组织：APS生物控制有限公司[APS]已经开发出一种基于安全、自然发生、高度特异性的植物病原体控制的创新技术。该项目将看到APS团队与英国学者，来自莱斯特大学的Martha Clokie教授，他领导了几个研究理事会和CharitableTrust资助的噬菌体研究和开发项目，并且在沙门氏菌和沙门氏菌的工作中具有经验和专业知识。APS和莱斯特团队将共同努力，以翻译APS的技术，以防止农作物污染沙门氏菌。虽然这项技术将主要应用于英国以外的地区，但英国将实现经济效益：改善粮食安全，减少浪费和增加贸易。该联盟结合了技术专家（APS），学术专家（莱斯特），一个主要的生产商（CommunityFoods）和英国干果销售市场的领导者（Tesco），他们将通过在他们销售的藤果上使用噬菌体产品来鼓励技术拉动葡萄干和小葡萄干（sultanas），其中病原体（主要是沙门氏菌）的污染会对整个供应链产生灾难性影响。葡萄类水果占全球干果供应链的一半（2014年价值：74.7亿美元-比2013年增长5%），英国公司通过进口和通过合作伙伴增长占该市场的15-20%。目前，只有相对少量的葡萄果实被检测出沙门氏菌污染，但随着整个行业葡萄果实沙门氏菌污染问题的规模得到重视，这种情况可能会改变。增加检测将揭示问题的全部程度，这将对行业产生重大的进一步财务影响。为了解决这一问题，我们是一个工业驱动的多合作伙伴财团，将开发一种技术驱动的战略创新，用于管理沙门氏菌污染，基于天然存在的，高度特异性和环境可接受的制剂的治疗方法。该项目将涉及学术界的技术翻译、实验室规模的开发和试点现场试验。该项目通过将研究转化为实践，符合英国农业技术战略。它将在英国开发和利用生物控制技术，由一家创新的中小企业领导。该技术有可能进入全球市场，为英国农业技术产业带来巨大回报，使英国的研究和生产、该国的进出口业务以及零售业受益。此外，对新生物控制的关注与欧盟减少农药使用对人类健康和环境影响的政策相一致。它也符合更好地分析食源性病原体流行情况和实施良好农业规范的建议。

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.