**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE VARIOUS READY-TO-EAT FRESH PRODUCE IS A POTENTIAL VEHICLE FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS. IN THE UNITED STATES, OVER 1 MILLION FOODBORNE ILLNESSES ARE CAUSED BY FRESH PRODUCE CONTAMINATED WITH PATHOGENS EVERY YEAR.FRESH PRODUCE MICROBIAL SAFETY HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY IMPLICATED AS THE SECOND CAUSE OF FOODBORNE ILLNESSES AS WELL AS HUGE ECONOMIC LOSSES.AGRICULTURAL WATER HAS BEEN EVIDENCED AS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FACTOR THAT LEADS TO SUBSEQUENT FOODBORNE ILLNESS OUTBREAKS.TO IMPROVE FRESH PRODUCE MICROBIAL SAFETY, TESTING OF AGRICULTURAL WATERS HAS BEEN REQUIRED BY THE FDA FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT (FSAM). HOWEVER, THE MOST COMMONLY USED CULTURE-BASED METHOD TO DETERMINE AGRICULTURAL WATER MICROBIAL SAFETY IS TIME-CONSUMING, TAKING AT LEAST 18 HOURS FROM SAMPLES TO RESULTS. OTHER METHODS, SUCH AS POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR) AND ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY (ELISA), ARE LIMITED FOR THE POINT-OF-NEED (PON) APPLICATIONS DUE TO THE REQUIREMENT OF SKILLED OPERATORS AND SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT.THE LACK OF A RAPID AND SENSITIVE DETECTION METHOD THAT CAN BE USED BY FRESH PRODUCE WORKERS TO DETECT INDICATOR BACTERIA IN AGRICULTURAL WATER IS THE CURRENT ROADBLOCK TO FRESH PRODUCE MICROBIAL SAFETY.