OUR FOOD SUPPLY COULD BE VULNERABLE TO MULTIPLE PATHOGENS SUCH AS BACTERIA, PARASITES, AND VIRUSES. CONSUMPTION OF PRODUCE AND LOW-MOISTURE FOODS (LMF), SUCH AS NUTS, CEREALS, AND SPICES, HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN RECENT DECADES. THESE PRODUCTS ARE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO CONTAMINATION BY PATHOGENS FROM PRE-HARVEST TO POST-HARVEST STAGES. THE CHALLENGE FOR FOOD SCIENTISTS IS TO DEVELOP NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL IMPROVE SAFETY AND EXTEND THE SHELF LIFE OF FOOD PRODUCTS WITHOUT COMPROMISING SAFETY OR SENSORY PROPERTIES. MOST FOODS ARE THERMALLY PRESERVED (I.E., COOKING) BY SUBJECTING THEM TO HIGH TEMPERATURE OR BOILING. HOWEVER, FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ARE PARTICULARLY CRITICAL BECAUSE THEY ARE COMMONLY EATEN WITHOUT THERMAL PROCESSING. NONTHERMAL METHODS ALLOW FOR THE PROCESSING OF FOODS BELOW THE TEMPERATURES USED DURING PASTEURIZATION AND CANNING, ALLOWING MINIMAL CHANGES IN FLAVOR AND QUALITY WHILE REMOVING PATHOGENS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INVESTIGATE THE EMERGING NONTHERMAL TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS DECONTAMINATING LIGHTS, GASEOUS TREATMENT, AND COLD PLASMA (IONIZED ATMOSPHERIC AIR, I.E., LIGHTENING). THESE PROCESSES ARE USED ON AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE FOR THE MANUFACTURING OF ELECTRONICS AND MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS. EACH NONTHERMAL TECHNOLOGY HAS A SPECIFIC APPLICATION, AND EACH TECHNOLOGY HAS ITS MERITS AND LIMITATION. OUR APPROACH IS TO USE COMBINATIONS OF TECHNOLOGIES TO OPTIMIZE PRODUCT QUALITY AND INACTIVATE PATHOGENS AND COMMERCIALIZE THE PROCESS. WITH THE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO INDUSTRY, WE EXPECT THAT PROCESSORS WILL SPEND LESS MONEY ON ENERGY INPUTS SUCH AS ENERGY FOR HEAT, WATER, AND CHEMICAL PASSING THE SAVINGS ON THE CONSUMER. WITH THE INCREASING OUTBREAKS ASSOCIATED WITH FRESH PRODUCE AND LMF, THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTROL WILL BE CRITICAL TO MAINTAINING CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN THE AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD INDUSTRIES, BOTH IN THE UNITED STATES AND WITH INTERNATIONAL TRADING PARTNERS.