An E Coli contamination linked to lettuce
An E Coli contamination linked to lettuce

has now spread here to California.
has now spread here to California.

An e coli outbreak linked to baby spinach.
An e coli outbreak linked to baby spinach.

And that outbreak of the stomach bug known as cyclospora.
And that outbreak of the stomach bug known as cyclospora.

In the 2000,
In the 2000,

fresh produce emerged as a huge vehicle of outbreak.
fresh produce emerged as a huge vehicle of outbreak.

And nobody thought that, you know,
And nobody thought that, you know,

people will be becoming sick from eating salads.
people will be becoming sick from eating salads.

So all this was new to the food industry.
So all this was new to the food industry.

This warning does keep expanding.
This warning does keep expanding.

It's getting bigger and bigger and what the CDC is saying
It's getting bigger and bigger and what the CDC is saying

tonight is that you not eat any kind of romaine lettuce.
tonight is that you not eat any kind of romaine lettuce.

It is really important to have appropriate
It is really important to have appropriate

decontamination measures for these salad vegetables.
decontamination measures for these salad vegetables.

And that is why the work we do in our lab
And that is why the work we do in our lab

with all these natural plant based
with all these natural plant based

decontamination measures is really important.
decontamination measures is really important.

Hi Elizabeth.
Hi Elizabeth.

Hi, Doctor.
Hi, Doctor.

So, how's it going?
So, how's it going?

So, what are you guys doing now?
So, what are you guys doing now?

So we just finished sample 33.
So we just finished sample 33.

I'm Sadhana Ravishankar
I'm Sadhana Ravishankar

I am a professor at the School of Animal
I am a professor at the School of Animal

and Comparative
and Comparative

Biomedical Sciences at the University of Arizona.
Biomedical Sciences at the University of Arizona.

My expertize is in food safety, and in our lab we are focusing
My expertize is in food safety, and in our lab we are focusing

everything based on a farm to fork approach.
everything based on a farm to fork approach.

So some of the studies we are doing are looking at
So some of the studies we are doing are looking at

what are the cross-contamination potential
what are the cross-contamination potential

of environmental matrices such as soil and dust, as well
of environmental matrices such as soil and dust, as well

as irrigation water
as irrigation water

onto the edible portion of the crop,
onto the edible portion of the crop,

simulating the conditions that can occur in a field
simulating the conditions that can occur in a field

in a laboratory condition.
in a laboratory condition.

We are looking at how these different bacteria attach
We are looking at how these different bacteria attach

on the surface of various fresh produce, such as, you know,
on the surface of various fresh produce, such as, you know,

cantaloupe versus a honeydew melon versus leafy greens.
cantaloupe versus a honeydew melon versus leafy greens.

You're just starting today right?
You're just starting today right?

And did you clean all these coupons already?
And did you clean all these coupons already?

Yes, So I have all the clean coupons here.
Yes, So I have all the clean coupons here.

We do some pre harvest studies in the lab
We do some pre harvest studies in the lab

in which we have to apply our treatments from.
in which we have to apply our treatments from.

The plants are growing, for example.
The plants are growing, for example.

So we do grow leafy greens and we do the treatments
So we do grow leafy greens and we do the treatments

at different stages.
at different stages.

And on the post-harvest side we are looking at
And on the post-harvest side we are looking at

how to decontaminate produce commodities such as leafy
how to decontaminate produce commodities such as leafy

greens, melons using plant based anti-microbial washes.
greens, melons using plant based anti-microbial washes.

And then we are also using anti-microbial edible films
And then we are also using anti-microbial edible films

as either a wrap or as an ingredient
as either a wrap or as an ingredient

going into salad bags for their decontamination
going into salad bags for their decontamination

potential against foodborne pathogenic bacteria.
potential against foodborne pathogenic bacteria.

[Inspirational music]
[Inspirational music]

So I was awarded the inventor of the year
So I was awarded the inventor of the year

and I was chosen by the tech launch Arizona.
and I was chosen by the tech launch Arizona.

And I like being an entrepreneur.
And I like being an entrepreneur.

And I would say that's not that easy
And I would say that's not that easy

because I have to wear several hats in a day.
because I have to wear several hats in a day.

And I think because of my passion, I'm able to multitask
And I think because of my passion, I'm able to multitask

and I'm able to do whatever it needs to be done,
and I'm able to do whatever it needs to be done,

both as a professor, as an administrator,
both as a professor, as an administrator,

as a teacher, and also as an entrepreneur.
as a teacher, and also as an entrepreneur.

So, you know,
So, you know,

being in the food safety field and understanding
being in the food safety field and understanding

how pathogens survive
how pathogens survive

in the food products and, you know,
in the food products and, you know,

what are the points of contamination.
what are the points of contamination.

When I make my own salad, I have to make it.
When I make my own salad, I have to make it.

I will not eat salad made by anybody else.
I will not eat salad made by anybody else.

And I know my
And I know my

my family knows that because what
my family knows that because what

I feed to my family, for me, you know,
I feed to my family, for me, you know,

nobody should be getting sick
nobody should be getting sick

from foodborne illness in my house.
from foodborne illness in my house.

As a researcher and as a scientist,
As a researcher and as a scientist,

what I believe is I should be doing research
what I believe is I should be doing research

that could be put to good use for the community.
that could be put to good use for the community.

So it should have an impact in the society.
So it should have an impact in the society.

And that is the reason I chose this career,
And that is the reason I chose this career,

because food is something that everybody loves, everybody eats.
because food is something that everybody loves, everybody eats.

And we want to produce a safe food.
And we want to produce a safe food.

[Inspirational music]
[Inspirational music]