** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** DRY FOODS SUCH AS SPICES, HERBS, EDIBLE SEEDS, AND NUTS (KNOWN AS LOW WATER ACTIVITY FOODS (LWAF)) MAY HARBOR HARMFUL BACTERIA. EACH YEAR, PRODUCTS ARE RECALLED DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF SALMONELLA ENTERICA, ESCHERICHIA COLI, AND LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES THAT SOMETIMES RESULTS IN OUTBREAKS. REDUCING FOODBORNE ILLNESSES AND FOOD WASTE ARE IMPORTANT GOALS. VACUUM-ASSISTED STEAM PASTEURIZATION IS A SAFE AND RAPID METHOD TO REDUCE HUMAN PATHOGENS ON A VARIETY OF READY-TO-EAT LWAF. LWAF VARY IN SIZE, COMPOSITION AND PACKAGING WHICH MAY IMPACT THE EFFECTIVENESS. CURRENTLY, COSTLY TESTING IS REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH THE PROCESS PARAMETERS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCTION OF PATHOGENS FOR EACH TYPE OF LWAF AND EACH PIECE OF PROCESSING EQUIPMENT. OUR APPROACH WILL USE NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART THERMAL SENSING AND ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES WITH THE ABILITY TO PREDICT REDUCTION RELIABLY FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT LWAF THAT VARY IN COMPOSITION AND SIZE, ALLOWING PROCESSORS TO IDENTIFY WORST-CASE SCENARIO PRODUCTS FOR MICROBIAL CHALLENGE TRIALS. MOREOVER, THIS WILL SOLVE THE USUAL SCALE-UP PROBLEM TRANSITIONING FROM LAB TESTING TO COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT. WE WILL ALSO IDENTIFY NON-PATHOGENIC SURROGATES THAT CAN BE USED IN THE PASTEURIZATION FACILITIES TO VERIFY THE PROCESS EFFECTIVENESS. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO AID FOOD PROCESSORS IN PROVIDING SAFE LWAF WITH GOOD SENSORY QUALITY (VISUAL, AROMA, TASTE) TO CONSUMERS.