**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 CUT LETTUCE AND SPINACH ARE OFTEN THE SOURCE OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS OUTBREAKS, CAUSING DECLINING CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN THE SAFETY OF LEAFY GREENS AND PREVENTING AMERICANS FROM ACCESSING VITAL NUTRITIOUS FOODS. IN 2021, LISTERIA OUTBREAKS LINKED TO PACKAGED SALADS CAUSED A TOTAL OF 26 HOSPITALIZATIONS AND 4 DEATHS. THESE CASES SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE THE CURRENT WAY FOOD PROCESSORS SANITIZE THEIR EQUIPMENT ALLOWS CROSS-CONTAMINATION DURING FOOD PROCESSING. FOR INSTANCE, BACTERIA ON AN INFECTED PIECE OF LETTUCE CAN STICK TO A CONVEYOR BELT, WHERE IT COULD SPREAD TO ANOTHER HEAD OF LETTUCE THAT MOVES ACROSS THE INFECTED AREA. TO ELIMINATE THIS TYPE OF INFECTION, AEMS CORP IS DEVELOPING COATINGS FOR FOOD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT THAT KILL HARMFUL BACTERIA ON-CONTACT AND PREVENT THEIR SPREAD TO OTHER FOOD. OUR COATINGS ARE MADE ENTIRELY FROM FOOD-GRADE INGREDIENTS AND PRE-APPROVED BY THE FDA TO BE SAFE TO CONSUME, SO THEY CAN BE USED DURING FOOD PROCESSING OPERATIONS TO PREVENT CROSS-CONTAMINATION. OUR ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, COST-EFFECTIVE ORGANIC SANITIZERS SHOULD BE READY FOR FAST-TRACK FDA APPROVAL, WHICH COULD ACCELERATE INDUSTRY ADOPTION OF OUR COATINGS.IN ORDER TO DEVELOP OUR SANITIZING COATINGS, WE WILL ASSESS FDA-APPROVED INGREDIENTS CAPABLE OF KILLING HARMFUL BACTERIA AND CONVERT THEM INTO A MATERIAL THAT IS EASY TO APPLY TO PROCESSING EQUIPMENT. WE WILL SIMULATE A CROSS-CONTAMINATION SCENARIO WITH TREATED AND UNTREATED SURFACES TO SHOW THAT OUR COATINGS CAN KILL BACTERIA ON-CONTACT AND PREVENT THEIR SPREAD TO OTHER FOOD. WE WILL PUBLISH OUR WORK AND ATTEND TRADE SHOWS TO SHOWCASE OUR MATERIALS AND THEIR POTENTIAL TO REDUCE THE INSTANCE OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS$296,955
· FY2023 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture