S294 - Participant Bio

Dike Ukuku

Institution : ARS-ERRC

Commodities : cantaloupe, honeydew and tomato

Research topics : To investigate surface hydrophobicity of different strains of pathogen and non-pathogenic organisms in order to understand their attachments mechanism on fruits and vegetables. To investigate individual antimicrobial activity of specific short chain organic acids or their combination for decontaminating and inactivating human pathogens on contaminated fruits and vegetables. Research activities will be extended to investigate incidence of contamination of fresh cut cantaloupes, honeydew melons, and tomatoes, and how to reduce such contamination in order to meet the president's food safety initiative. Antimicrobial activities of washing agents developed will be compared to bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity of conventional chlorinated wash-water, and hydrogen peroxide solution. I am currently working with the following microorganisms Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Salmonella stanley and Listeria monocytogenes

	[Link to Home Page] Current Officers: Past Chair: Yuagang Luo (LuoY@ba.ars.usda.gov) Chair: Peter Toivanen (ToivonenP@AGR.GC.CA) Vice Chair: Aubrey F. Mendonca (amendon@iastate.edu) Secretary: Xuetong Fan (xfan@errc.ars.usda.gov) Webmaster: Mary Reed (postharvest@ucdavis.edu)