** 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 U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) REPORTS MULTIPLE OUTBREAKS OF HUMAN DISEASE RESULTING FROM CONSUMPTION OF SALMONELLA OR SHIGA-TOXIGENIC E. COLI-CONTAMINATED UNCOOKED FERMENTED/ACIDIFIED AND SEMI-DRY/DRY SAUSAGE PRODUCTS, NOTABLY SALAMI-STYLE PRODUCTS CONTAMINATED DURING POST-LETHALITY HANDLING. THE USDA IN 2021 IDENTIFIED THELACK OF SUFFICIENT DATA VALIDATING PATHOGEN CONTROL ON UNCOOKED FERMENTED, DRIED SAUSAGES OF DIFFERING DIAMETERS AS A SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH NEED. THE USDA REPORTED MANUFACTURERS PRODUCING PRODUCTS OF DIFFERING DIMENSIONS DRIED TO THE SAME TERMINAL WATER ACTIVITY, WITHOUT MONITORING DRYING KINETICS, POSSESSED INSUFFICIENTASSURANCE THAT FOOD SAFETY WASSUFFICIENTLY PROTECTED. THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH UNITING FOOD PROCESSING, FOOD SAFETY MICROBIOLOGY, AND PREDICTIVE MODELING, OUR TEAM WILL INNOVATE A NOVEL MODEL USEFULLY VALIDATING MICROBIAL HAZARD CONTROL IN FERMENTED, DRIED SAUSAGES VARYING BY SIZE. THE MODEL WILL COMPREHENSIVELYACCOUNT FOR CHANGES IN SAUSAGE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS UNDER CONDITIONS REPLICATING THOSE OCCURRING COMMERCIALLY. IT WILL ALSO BE TESTED IN COOPERATION WITH A COMMERCIAL PROCESSOR IN-PLANT. CREATION AND REFINEMENT OF THIS MATHEMATICAL MODELING TOOL WILL PROVIDE CRITICAL VALIDATION TO HAZARD CONTROL FOR THE U.S. MEAT INDUSTRY FOR FOOD SAFETY PROTECTION. PLANNED RESEARCH WILL ASSIST IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE GOALS BY REDUCING FOOD LOSSES DUE TO ECONOMIC, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND NUTRITION LOSS CONSEQUENCES INHERENT TO FAILURES IN FOOD SAFETY PROTECTION.