** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CROSS-CONTAMINATION OF FOOD WITH PATHOGENS, INCLUDING BACTERIA AND VIRUSES, IS A LEADING CAUSE OF FOOD BORNE ILLNESSES IN THE NATION. DESPITE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES, AND HYGIENE PLANS, SIGNIFICANT CROSS-CONTAMINATION RISKS FROM THE FOOD CONTACT SURFACES (ZONE I) AND ADJOINING SURFACES (ZONE II) EXIST DURING FOOD HARVESTING, PROCESSING, AND FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRIES. TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES, THE PROPOSED RESEARCH PLAN AIMS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CROSS-CONTAMINATION USING FOOD GRADE PHOTOACTIVE MATERIALS FOR CONTINUOUS SANITATION OF ZONE I AND ZONE II SURFACES DURING HANDLING AND PROCESSING OF FOOD. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE TO (A) DEVELOP AND EVALUATE FOOD-GRADE PHOTOACTIVE ANTIMICROBIAL COATINGS FOR MODEL ZONE I AND ZONE II SURFACES FOR REDUCING THE RISK OF CROSS-CONTAMINATION; (B) EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AFFINITY ENABLED PHOTOACTIVE ANTIMICROBIAL COATINGS AND PHOTOACTIVE ANTIMICROBIAL-ANTIMICROBIAL SLIPPERY COATINGS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CROSS-CONTAMINATION, AND (C) EVALUATE MECHANISMS OF INACTIVATION OF TARGET MICROBES USING PHOTO-ACTIVATED COATINGS AND ASSESS TRANSLATION OF THE COATINGS TO PILOT-SCALE SYSTEMS. THESE FOOD-GRADE PHOTOACTIVE COATING COMPOSITIONS WILL BE DESIGNED TO INACTIVATE PATHOGENS IN THE PRESENCE OF DAYLIGHT OR SUNLIGHT, THUS TARGETING BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS. THE KEY INNOVATIONS FOR REDUCING CROSS-CONTAMINATION ARE THE DISCOVERY AND APPLICATION OF FOOD GRADE BIOPOLYMERS COATINGS WITH ENDOGENOUS PHOTOACTIVITY, ENGINEERING PHOTOACTIVE COATINGS USING A COMBINATION OF FOOD GRADE COMPOUNDS, BIO-AFFINITY LIGANDS AND BIOPOLYMERS AND DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIFOULING AND ANTIMICROBIAL COATINGS. OVERALL, THIS RESEARCH ADDRESSES THE KEY UNMET CHALLENGES IN THE AREAS OF FOOD SAFETY BY REDUCING THE RISK OF CROSS-CONTAMINATION.