** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AWARENESS OF NOROVIRUS RISK AND ACCESS TO RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL TOOLS IN FOOD SERVICE ENVIRONMENTS, WHICH ACCOUNT FOR OVER 81% OF NOROVIRUS CASES ANNUALLY, IS PARTICULARLY LOW. WITH POOR SANITATION PRACTICES AND THE ABILITY OF VIRUSES TO DISPLAY RECALCITRANCE TO INACTIVATION OVER SUBSEQUENT SUBFATAL DISINFECTION TREATMENTS, VIRUSES WILL PERSIST IN FOOD SERVICE AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS. MORE THAN HALF OF NOROVIRUS OUTBREAKS CAN BE TRACED TO POOR GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES (GMPS), SUCH AS POOR HANDWASHING DURING THE PREPARATION AND SERVING OF FOOD. THIS PROPOSAL AIMS TO USE AN INTEGRATEDRESEARCH AND EXTENSION APPROACH THAT WORKS DIRECTLY WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY CURRENT SANITATION SHORTCOMINGS. FIELD OBSERVATIONS WILL GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENHANCED VIRAL RECALCITRANCE DATA AND SUBSEQUENT TRAINING MATERIALS FOR FOOD SERVICE WORKERS. THIS WILL SHAPE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW AND RELEVANT TECHNICAL SUPPORT TOOLS, INCLUDING A RISK MODEL TO ENHANCE FOOD SAFETY ENGAGEMENT TO IMPROVE LEARNING THAT ULTIMATELY LEADS TO IMPROVED FOOD SAFETY PRACTICES. OUR APPROACH INCLUDES:1. CONDUCTING CONCEALED OBSERVATION OF MEMBERS WITHIN FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS TO ASSESS THE CURRENT PRACTICES OF CLEANING/DISINFECTION TECHNIQUES USING APPROVED DISINFECTANTS.2. INVESTIGATE THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE POTENTIAL OF DISINFECTANT FORMULATIONS AND CONTACT TIMES TO RESULT IN SERIAL SUBFATAL TREATMENTS IN PRACTICE3. DEVELOP A RISK MODEL AND TRAINING TOOLS THAT CAN BE USED AS A COMMUNICATION METHOD FOR UNDERSTANDING NOROVIRUS RISK IN THE PROCESSING ENVIRONMENT.OUR LONG-TERM PROJECT GOAL IS TO IMPROVE SANITATION PRACTICES AND RAISE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER SANITATION IN FOOD SERVICE FACILITIES TO MITIGATE FOODBORNE ILLNESS IN PRACTICE.