IRRESPECTIVE OF CURRENT AVAILABLE FOOD SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES, THERE REMAINS A STEADILY INCREASING GLOBAL THREAT FROM BACTERIAL CONTAMINANTS IN FOOD AND WATER. NATIONALLY, FOODBORNE ILLNESSES ANNUALLY AFFLICT ~48 MILLION AMERICANS AND COST THE U.S. ~16 BILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR IN MEDICAL COSTS. BACTERIOPHAGES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SERVE AS BACTERIAL PREVENTION, SEPARATION, DETECTION, AND DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS, WITH MANY EXAMPLES OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES HAVING ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY U.S. REGULATORY AGENCIES. MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INHIBITING THE BROADER APPLICATION OF THESE TOOLS ARE NARROW HOST-RANGE AND THE ABILITY OF TARGETED BACTERIA TO DEVELOP PHAGE-ADSORPTION RESISTANCE THROUGH SURFACE MUTATIONS. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE FOOD SAFETY BY OVERCOMING THESE LIMITATIONS, THUS ENABLING THE CREATION OF MORE PRACTICAL/EFFECTIVE PHAGE-BASED TECHNOLOGIES TO COMBAT AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS.