Preventative control hurdles for addressing microbiological hazards encountered in microgreen production

花椰菜芽和豌豆芽等微绿色植物代表了垂直农业领域的快速增长领域。然而，最近与单核细胞增生李斯特菌污染有关的食品安全问题导致产品召回，对市场增长产生了负面影响。与发芽的种子一样，微绿植物在植物的早期发育过程中易受人类病原体的影响，并且由于产品易受过度水合的损害而不能进行收获后洗涤。因此，很少有干预措施（预防性控制）可以减轻人类病原体。在下文中，将开发基于种子消毒、盆栽混合物补充剂和基于高级氧化工艺（AOP）的收获后去污方法的栅栏方法的原理证明。种子净化方法是基于一个连续的过程，该过程基于过氧乙酸，然后进行消毒处理，以消毒病原体（沙门氏菌和L。单核细胞增多症）。亚氯酸盐也将被纳入盆栽混合物，并与保护性芽孢杆菌培养物结合，以防止病原体建立。基于AOP的收获后去污方法是收获后洗涤的替代方法，并产生抗菌自由基，可以杀灭与植物相关的病原体。AOP工艺使用最少量的水，从而防止导致保质期缩短的微绿的过度水合。这项研究将使加拿大受益，因为它将沿着垂直农业操作，提高微绿植物的食品安全。具体而言，通过采取干预措施，将提高微绿色食品的食品安全性和保质期，从而最大限度地减少产品召回沿着食源性疾病爆发的风险。这将保持微型蔬菜市场的快速扩张，从而为当地经济和农业部门带来好处。

Microgreens such as broccoli sprouts and pea shoots, represent a rapidly growing field in the vertical farming sector. However, recent food safety issues linked to Listeria monocytogenes contamination has led to product recalls that have had a negative impact on market growth. As with sprouted seeds, microgreens are susceptible to human pathogens during the early development of the plant and cannot undergo post-harvest washing due to the susceptibility of the product to damage by excess hydration. Consequently, there are few interventions (preventative controls) that can mitigate human pathogens. In the following a proof-of-principal of a hurdle approach based on seed disinfection, potting mix supplements and a post-harvest decontamination method based on Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) will be developed. The seed decontamination method is based on a sequential process based on peracetic acid followed by chlorite treatment that will inactivate pathogens (Salmonella and L. monocytogenes). Chlorite will also be incorporated into potting mix and combined with protective Bacillus cultures to prevent pathogens becoming established. The post-harvest decontamination method based on AOP is an alternative to post-harvest washing and generates antimicrobial radicals that can inactivate pathogens associated with the plant. The AOP process uses minimum quantities of water thereby preventing over hydration of the microgreen that leads to reduced shelf-life. The research will benefit Canada by enhancing food safety of microgreens along with vertical farming operations in general. Specifically, by putting in place interventions the food safety and shelf-life of microgreens will be enhanced thereby minimizing the risk of product recalls along with foodborne illness outbreaks. This will maintain the rapid expansion of the microgreens market leading to benefits for local economies and agricultural sector in general.