DESPITE ADVANCES IN HYGIENE, CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE, AND FOOD WASHING AND SANITIZING TECHNOLOGIES; FOODBORNE ILLNESSES STILL REPRESENT SIGNIFICANT HEALTH AND FINANCIAL BURDENS IN THE US. ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION SURVEY DATA, ABOUT 10 MILLION AMERICANS PER YEAR SUFFER FROM DOMESTICALLY ACQUIRED FOODBORNE ILLNESS. WHILE 56,000 OF THESE INCIDENCES LED TO HOSPITALIZATIONS, 1,300 CASES RESULTED IN DEATHS. FOODBORNE ILLNESSES ARE ESTIMATED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AN ANNUAL BURDEN TO SOCIETY OF APPROXIMATELY $36 BILLION. EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY USED FOR SORTING, PROCESSING, AND PACKING MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT IS ONE OF THE RESERVOIRS/COLLECTORS OF BACTERIAL PATHOGENS THAT CAN CONTAMINATE VEGETABLES COMING IN CONTACT WITH SURFACES OF SUCH MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT. THE PROJECT IS AIMED AT TACKLING THIS ISSUE BY DEVELOPING SMART COATINGS WITH INHERENT RESISTANCE AND REPELLENCY AGAINST BACTERIAL PATHOGENS FOR EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY SURFACES COMING IN CONTACT WITH VEGETABLES. THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT WILL LEAD TO STRATEGIES AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT FOOD INDUSTRY CAN USE TO REDUCE OUTBREAK RISKS AND IMPROVE FOOD SAFETY, HYGIENE, AND CONSUMER CONFIDENCE.ALL EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY SURFACES USED FOR SORTING AND PROCESSING OF VEGETABLES NEED TO BE FREQUENTLY WASHED, CLEANED, AND SANITIZED, REPRESENTING A LARGE PORTION OF TOTAL WATER USED BY FOOD INDUSTRY. BEING WATER A NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE, WATER CONSERVATION IS PARAMOUNT AND THERE IS A GROWING NEED TO IMPROVE WATER-USE EFFICIENCY IN THE US. ACCORDINGLY, THIS PROJECT ALSO SEEKS TO DESIGN NOVEL COATINGS TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE WATER USAGE IN CLEANING AND SANITIZATION OF MACHINE AND EQUIPMENT SURFACES UTILIZED IN PACKING, SORTING, AND PROCESSING FACILITIES VIA SMART DESIGN. THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT WILL GIVE RISE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF EASY-TO-CLEAN MACHINERY COMPONENTS AND PARTS, WHICH HAVE VAST IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT USED IN PRODUCE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING: REDUCTIONS IN WATER USAGE FOR WASHING, CLEANING, AND SANITATION; INCREASES IN WATER EFFICIENCY, LESS EFFORT, WORK, AND TIME WILL BE NEEDED TO MAINTAIN AND CLEAN OBJECTS USED IN WASHING, SORTING, AND PACKING OF VEGETABLES; COST OF OPERATIONS WILL BE REDUCED, LEADING TO A HIGHER PROFITABILITY FOR THE STAKEHOLDERS; AND DECREASES IN INCIDENCES OF BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION FACILITATED BY SOIL AND MUD ATTACHED ON VEGETABLES.ENHANCED HYGIENE AND EASE OF CLEANING FOR FOOD MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT AND MACHINING WILL BE ACHIEVED BY SMART SURFACE STRUCTURE AND COATING DESIGN. MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND DURABILITY OF MACHINE COMPONENTS AND PARTS MODIFIED BY NOVEL COATINGS WILL BE INVESTIGATED USING INDUSTRY STANDARD TESTS. REDUCTIONS IN BACTERIAL ADHESION UPON UTILIZATION OF SMART COATINGS WILL BE ASSESSED USING MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSAYS SUCH AS PLATING AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPY.THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO INVOLVE COMPREHENSIVE EXTENSION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON THE KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT OUTCOMES TO STAKEHOLDERS IN VARIOUS MODALITIES TO MAXIMIZE THE WIDESPREAD UTILIZATION AND ADAPTATION OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES BY VEGETABLE INDUSTRY. IN ADDITION, THE RESEARCH TEAM WILL PREPARE EASY-TO-FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AND INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA DEMONSTRATIONS EXPLAINING HOW VEGETABLE INDUSTRY CAN MODIFY THEIR EXISTING EQUIPMENT AND MACHINE SURFACES WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY.