RECENT OUTBREAKS/RECALLS DUE TO SALMONELLA IN LOW-MOISTURE FOODS, AND PENDING PREVENTIVE CONTROLS RULES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT (FSMA), MAKE PROCESSING INTERVENTIONS AN IMPERATIVE TO ENSURE THE MICROBIAL SAFETY OF LOW-MOISTURE FOOD PRODUCTS. ALTHOUGH VARIOUS TECHNOLOGIES EXIST, THEY HAVE ACHIEVED VERY LIMITED MARKET PENETRATION, AND NONE WILL PROVIDE A UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION. ALSO, "LEGACY" TECHNOLOGIES NOT DESIGNED AS "KILL STEPS" (E.G., DRYING OR BAKING) NOW MUST BE VALIDATED FOR THIS PURPOSE.THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS COORDINATED, INTEGRATED PROJECT IS TO ENHANCE DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVEMENT, AND COMMERCIAL ADOPTION OF PASTEURIZATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR LOW-MOISTURE FOODS. THE PROJECT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE INOCULATED CHALLENGE STUDIES IN THREE BIOSAFETY LEVEL-2(3) PILOT PLANTS FOR EVALUATION OF TECHNOLOGIES AND TESTING OF VALIDATION PROTOCOLS. MULTIPLE WORKSHOPS, WEBINARS, AND UNIQUE CURRICULA DEVELOPMENT WILL SPECIFICALLY TARGET PROFESSIONALS IN THE AREA OF LOW-MOISTURE FOODS. CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL AND CROSS-DISCIPLINARY GRADUATE LEARNING MODULES WILL FILL A GAP RELATED TO LOW-MOISTURE FOOD SAFETY AND TECHNOLOGIES.RESEARCH, OUTREACH, AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES WILL BE HIGHLY INTEGRATED, OUTCOMES-FOCUSED, STAKEHOLDER-ENGAGED (INCLUDING AN INDUSTRY ADVISORY GROUP), AND SUBJECT TO SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT PROCESSES. AS A RESULT, TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES, PROCESSORS, AND REGULATORS WILL BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO EVALUATE, IMPLEMENT, AND VALIDATE LOW-MOISTURE FOOD PASTEURIZATION PROCESSES.