A Cornell University professor is creating a computerized model aimed at assessing food safety risks related to physical damage or defects in produce during the final stages of the supply chain. This quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) tool will analyze how imperfections potentially impact the safety of fruits and vegetables.
Martin Wiedmann, a professor at Cornell University and the principal investigator of the project, explained that traditionally, physical damage or defects to produce—such as those caused by machinery, freezing, or pests—have been considered separately from food safety risks.
The new QMRA model seeks to integrate evaluations of produce quality and defects to better understand their combined effects on microbial contamination and food safety during the so-called 'last mile' of the supply chain, which refers to the final phase of produce handling before reaching consumers.
This research, reported by Food Safety News, aims to enhance risk assessments to protect public health by addressing previously overlooked factors related to produce imperfections.
Source: Scientists looking at how imperfections in produce impact safety · 2026-10-27 04:05 UTC
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