A MAJOR PROBLEM HITTING THE FRESH PRODUCE INDUSTRY IN MODERN, GLOBAL AGRICULTURE IS MICROBIAL FOOD SAFETY. AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND REGULATIONS MINIMIZE CROP CONTAMINATION BY FOODBORNE PATHOGENS DURING PRODUCTION AND POSTHARVEST HANDLING, BUT THE SPORADIC FREQUENCY OF CONTAMINATION EVENTS AND COMPLEX, MULTIFACTORIAL RISKS ENCOUNTERED IN THE FIELD CALL FOR INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM. ONE APPROACH IS TO DEVELOP IMPROVED CROPS FOR DESIRABLE TRAITS THAT ENHANCE FOOD SAFETY THROUGH CROP SELECTION AND BREEDING. IN THIS PROJECT WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP FOOD SAFETY-IMPROVED TOMATO (FIT) CULTIVARS. TOMATO LENDS ITSELF WELL TO THIS APPROACH DUE TO THE WIDE GENETIC DIVERSITY STILL RESIDING IN WILD GERMPLASM AND MODERN CULTIVAR POPULATIONS, AND THE RELATIVE EASE OF CROSSING CULTIVATED VARIETIES WITH RELATED WILD SPECIES. IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF THE PROJECT, WE PROPOSE TO USE AN INTEGRATED METABOLOMIC, PROTEOMIC AND TRANSCRIPTOMIC APPROACH TO INVESTIGATE TOMATO TRAITS AND GENE NETWORKS THAT CONFER THE CAPACITY TO RESTRICT SALMONELLA ESTABLISHMENT ON TOMATO FRUIT. WE WILL BASE OUR INVESTIGATIONS ON PRELIMINARY WORK THAT HAS IDENTIFIED (1) PHYTOCOMPOUNDS IN TOMATO THAT CORRELATE NEGATIVELY WITH SALMONELLA ESTABLISHMENT IN FRUIT, AND (2) TOMATO IMMUNE RESPONSES TO SALMONELLA INOCULATION. IN YEARS FOUR AND FIVE, WE PROPOSE TO CONDUCT PRE-BREEDING ACTIVITIES TO DEVELOP NEW TOMATO LINES WITH THE CAPACITY TO RESTRICT SALMONELLA COLONIZATION. THESE WILL BE VALIDATED BY CHALLENGING FRUIT WITH SALMONELLA. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FIT CROP WOULD BE A BREAKTHROUGH ACHIEVEMENT FOR AGRICULTURE AND PUBLIC HEALTH, WITH THE POTENTIAL TO SIGNIFICANTLY PREVENT FOODBORNE ILLNESS AND ECONOMIC LOSSES DUE TO FOOD SAFETY CONCERNS.