A training developed by Texas AgriLife Extension.

Although the US enjoys the safest and most nutritious food supply in the world, food borne illness is a major problem facing the fresh produce industry. Each year, 15 – 20 people die and countless others are hospitalized in the US as a result of consuming fresh produce contaminated with food borne pathogens such as E coli. Therefore, it is imperative that everyone involved in the production, distribution, sale and preparation of produce, from “the field to the plate”, utilize good agricultural and food preparation practices.

Electron beam irradiation (eBeam) is an emerging technology that offers the potential to significantly enhance the level of safety of complex food items such as fruits and vegetables. Texas AgriLife Extension has developed a four-lesson training to provide food producers, handlers, preparers and others with an interest in food safety on food borne illness and the use of eBeam as a tool to reduce to the seriousness of this problem. Each lesson is contained in a separate module. Click on a module at the bottom of the page to review the lesson contained within. It is suggested that you view the module in the order listed:

Important Note: If the PowerPoint slides open within Internet Explorer, you will not be able to save the file to you local computer or view the slide notes. To save files to your local computer, use the right mouse button (i.e., “right click”) on the link and respond in the dialog box that pops up that you want to “save target as” and then select the location that you want to save the file on your local computer. Then open the file with PowerPoint or PowerPoint Viewer, and select “view normal” to see both the sides and the slide notes.

If you do not have PowerPoint you can download the freeware PowerPoint Viewer or the free open source office suite LibreOffice. The modules are also available in PDF and in Spanish (PDF only).

PowerPoint Versions of the Modules

• Module 1 – Introduction: Microbiological safety of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Module 2 – Control of microbial growth & food borne disease pathogens in fresh fruits and vegetables
• Module 3 – Current strategies used to eliminate or reduce pathogenic microorganisms from fruits and vegetables
  Module 4 – Science and application of electron beam irradiation technology

PDF Versions of the Modules

• Module 1 – PDF – Introduction: Microbiological safety of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Module 2 – PDF – Control of microbial growth & food borne disease pathogens in fresh fruits and vegetables
• Module 3 – PDF – Current strategies used to eliminate or reduce pathogenic microorganisms from fruits and vegetables
• Module 4 – PDF – Science and application of electron beam irradiation technology

Spanish Modules – Módulos en Español

• Módulo 1 en Español – Introducción: Seguridad Contra Microbios de Las Frutas Y Verduras Frescas
• Módulo 2 en Español – Control de Crecimiento de Microbios & Enfermedades Portadas En Alimentos: Patógenos en Frutas & Verduras Frescas
• Módulo 3 en Español – Estrategias Utilizadas Al Presente Para Eliminar o Reducir Microbios Patógenos en las Frutas Y Verduras Frescas
• Módulo 4 en Español – La Ciencia Y Aplicaciónes de La Tecnologia de Irradiacion Con Rayos de Electrones