** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FRESH AND FROZEN PRODUCE CONTAMINATED WITH VIRUSES CAUSES ILLNESS IN CONSUMERS AND HARM TO THE PRODUCE INDUSTRY. LABORATORY TESTS FOR PRODUCE CAN DETECT VIRUS PIECES ON PRODUCE BUT CANNOT TELL IF THE VIRUS PIECES ARE INFECTIOUS AND WILL MAKE CONSUMERS SICK. OUR FIRST OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP IMPROVED LABORATORY TESTS FOR PRODUCE, SUCH AS RASPBERRIES AND LETTUCE, TO TELL IF DETECTED VIRUS IS INFECTIOUS. ONE WAY IS BY ADDING A BIOLOGICAL STEP THAT DESTROYS NON-INFECTIOUS VIRUS AND RETAINS INFECTIOUS VIRUS FOR DETECTION. BY ADDING THIS BIOLOGICAL STEP, WE WILL IMPROVE A CURRENTLY USED COMMERCIAL LABORATORY TEST. OUR SECOND OBJECTIVE IS TO TEST WHETHER A COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE MACHINE CAN DESTROY VIRUSES ON PRODUCE WITHOUT DAMAGING THE PRODUCE. OUR THIRD OBJECTIVE IS TO USE MATH MODELS TO SEE IF THE TESTS WE DEVELOP IN THIS PROPOSAL ARE BETTER THAN EXISTING TESTS AT PREDICTING OUTBREAKS. THIS PROJECT WILL PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM INFECTIOUS VIRUSES ON PRODUCE. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO HELP THE PRODUCE INDUSTRY KEEP SAFE PRODUCE ON SHELVES, FOCUS RECALL AND DESTRUCTION ACTIVITIES ON PRODUCE WITH INFECTIOUS VIRUS, AND REDUCE WASTE FROM UNNECESSARILY RECALLED PRODUCE.