Friendly bacteria may be introduced to bagged salad leaves to help ward off the possibility of salmonella and listeria outbreaks.
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University of Queensland researchers have entered a partnership with Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited to investigate the proposal. The two-year, $800,000 project will use friendly lactic acid bacteria discovered at UQ and commercialised by Uniquest. Associate Professor Mark Turner of UQ’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences said more than 300 people in Victoria and South Australia suffered food poisoning in Salmonella outbreaks this year linked with bagged salads and sprouts.
“These recent Salmonella outbreaks have had a significant impact on the vegetable industry,” he said.
“A low level of pathogen contamination can be difficult to control and methods to remove or kill pathogens, such as washes and chlorine treatments, are only partially effective. “Our project aims to commercialise new strains.”
