title: A framework for developing research protocols for evaluation of microbial hazards and controls during production that pertain to the quality of agricultural water contacting fresh produce that may be consumed raw.
abstract: Agricultural water may contact fresh produce during irrigation and/or when crop protection sprays (e.g., cooling to prevent sunburn, frost protection, and agrochemical mixtures) are applied. This document provides a framework for designing research studies that would add to our understanding  of preharvest microbial food safety hazards and control measures pertaining to agricultural water. Researchers will be able to use this document to design studies, to anticipate the scope and detail of data required, and to evaluate previously published work. This document should also be useful  for evaluating the strength of existing data and thus should aid in identifying future research needs. Use of this document by the research community may lead to greater consistency or comparability than currently exists among research studies, which may ultimately facilitate direct comparison  of hazards and efficacy of controls among different commodities, conditions, and practices.
authors.affiliation: Western Center for Food Safety, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. ljharris@ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bihn
authors.forename: Tyann
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blessington
authors.forename: Michelle D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Danyluk
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delaquis
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goodridge
authors.forename: A Mark
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ibekwe
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ilic
authors.forename: Kali
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kniel
authors.forename: Jeffrey T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lejeune
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Schaffner
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stoeckel
authors.forename: Trevor V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Suslow
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014675:Vegetables / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000592:standards; D014871:Water Microbiology