** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HEAT STRESS CONTINUES TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE POULTRY INDUSTRY. ALTHOUGH WE UNDERSTAND MANY ASPECTS OF HEAT STRESS ON THE HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS, WE DO NOT KNOW HOW HEAT STRESS AFFECTS THE SHELF-LIFE OF THE RESULTING POULTRY PRODUCTS. IT IS CRITICAL TO DETERMINE HOW HEAT STRESS AFFECTS POULTRY MEAT'S MICROBIAL QUALITY AND SHELF-LIFE SO THE INDUSTRY CAN REDUCE FOOD WASTE. DUE TO LIMITATIONS AND INCONSISTENCIES WITH CURRENT PRE-HARVEST INTERVENTION STRATEGIES, THE POULTRY AND MEAT INDUSTRIES RELY ON PROCESSING AIDS AND PACKAGING PRESERVATION METHODS TO EXTEND THE SHELF-LIFE OF THESE PRODUCTS. THEREFORE, IT IS CRITICAL TO DETERMINE IF THESE PRESERVATION METHODS CAN REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE IMPACT OF HEAT STRESS ON THE DOWNSTREAM SHELF-LIFE OF POULTRY. OUR RESEARCH WILL ADDRESS HEAT STRESS'S IMPACT ON THE SUSTAINABILITY OF POULTRY PRODUCTS THROUGHOUT THE POULTRY SUPPLY CHAIN, FROM FARM-TO-FORK. IT WILL PROVIDE THE INDUSTRY WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO BUILD A MORE SUSTAINABLE, ADAPTABLE, AND RESILIENT SUPPLY CHAIN. WE PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC AIMS: 1) UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEAT STRESS ON THE MICROBIAL QUALITY AND SHELF-LIFE OF POULTRY MEAT; 2) REDUCE FOOD WASTE BY USING TARGETED EFFECTIVE POST-HARVEST INTERVENTION STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE MICROBIAL QUALITY AND SHELF-LIFE OF POULTRY SUBJECTED TO HEAT STRESS. THE ENCOMPASSED RESEARCH IS EXPECTED TO ENABLE STAKEHOLDERS TO MAP THE MICROBIOLOGICAL SHIFTS IN RESPONSE TO HEAT STRESS. AS A RESULT, WE WILL PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK TO PRODUCE SAFE PRODUCTS WITH A LONGER RETAIL SHELF-LIFE DESPITE RISING TEMPERATURES AND INCREASED OCCURRENCE OF HEAT STRESS.