Improving Food Quality, One Light at a Time

Fort Valley State University aims to make a mark in food safety research with the help of a new pulsed ultraviolet (UV) light system that could aid in the decontamination of foods and extend shelf life without heat or chemical preservatives. XENON pulsed UV light Z-1000 modular sterilization system is unique because it’s an extremely safe and sanitary method for rapidly killing microorganisms on food surfaces.

Pulsed UV-light is more efficient than continuous UV light, because it offers better penetration potential through food products. Pulsed UV light can kill up to 99.9 percent of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, molds, parasites, and insects. It can also kill bacteria on surfaces of food packaging materials. The light does not affect taste or alter any other properties.

NIFA supports this project through Evans-Allen funding.

Read the full article in FVSU News. Photo courtesy of Fort Valley State University.

Teen Detectives Use DNA to Stalk Invasive Fish

Once they infiltrate bodies of water, northern snakeheads are hard to shake. So far, New York State has had two outbreaks of the unwelcome fish—one that has been wrestled under control, and one with a much more problematic prognosis.

Through Cornell’s FishTracker program, teams of life-jacket-clad teenagers lean out over docks to scoop water samples from the Hudson River and take them back to the lab, where researchers search for specific DNA signatures. “Every fish in the Great Lakes has been barcoded, just like the universal product code that you scan in the supermarket,” said James Casey, a virologist at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

The FishTracker team of more than 3,000 students from 78 schools have surveyed 320 sites across New York State. They’re currently monitoring for six invasive species and two endangered ones, the American eel and the deepwater cisco. Their reporting of a species in a particular location is accurate to within six hours.

NIFA supports the project through Hatch funding.

Read the full article in the Atlas Obscura. Photo courtesy of Cornell University.

New Discovery, More Bees Mark Michigan’s First Full Bee Census

The first complete bee census, led by Michigan State University scientists, confirmed a new species and revealed that the actual number of bee species in Michigan exceeded earlier estimates.

Identifying potential pollinators is crucial, especially in the face of declining honey bee populations. All pollinators make an estimated $14 billion annual contribution to U.S. agriculture, so it’s imperative to understand wild bee populations and their benefits to crops and the environment.

The monograph is featured in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa and shows that the Great Lakes State hosts 465 species of bees – the highest number of species reported by surrounding states.

NIFA supported the program through the Integrated Crop Pollination Project. 

Read the full article in MSU Today. Photo by Jason Gibbs.

Stronger Storms Hamper Ability of Streams and Rivers to Clean Up Pollution

Freshwater streams and rivers naturally clean up some forms of pollution originating from urban and agricultural areas, but increased storm intensity reduces this ability. This fact underscores the need to improve the management of nonpoint sources of pollution and storm water management.

Nonpoint source pollution comes from many sources, such as agricultural land, construction sites, and residential areas. Heavy rain or snowmelt can pick up and transport the pollutants to streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, coastal waters, and ground waters.

Scientists from the University of New Hampshire used a new generation of high-technology sensors, placed directly into streams and rivers, to measure nitrate concentrations continuously under different flow conditions. These sensors are transforming the understanding of water quality and how to improve its management.

Results of the study will encourage people to think about how much to fertilize lawns and ensure septic systems are maintained, and help community leaders make decisions about reducing nutrient inputs.

NIFA supports this project through Hatch funding.

Read the article journal Water Resources Research. NRCS photo.

Rock Salt is Getting into Groundwater and Wells, Study Finds

Despite strong winter weather, salt on roadways allows us to get out and drive. But, according to recent study at Virginia Tech, that could come back to hurt us. The study found that, despite measures to avoid it, chloride in road salt is getting to water.

If salt levels continue to increase in freshwater areas, many fish and amphibians will stop breeding and eventually die because their bodies cannot adjust to the change. Water creatures are not the only ones affected by excess chloride, however.

A separate study, done by the Flint Water Team in Orleans, New York, found if the salt gets into common copper pipes that are held together by lead-soldered joints, the pipes can break down. That means more salt gets into drinking water, and that is often not good for people with hypertension and other medical conditions.

NIFA supports this project with an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant.

Watch the news report from WDBJ.