Food safety is an important aspect of organic food production. While synthetic chemicals are commonly used in conventional food production to control food-borne pathogens such as Salmonella, organic production looks at natural compounds. App State University participates in a collaboration with USDA Agricultural Research Service to examine compounds, including trans-cinnamaldehyde, carvacrol and eugenol, for reducing food-borne pathogens in organic poultry production. These compounds are derived from plants such as cinnamon, oregano, and cloves. Dr. Anne Fanatico, an associate professor in the Goodnight Family Sustainable Development Department, teaches courses in the agroecology concentration, and will develop food safety educational materials for small diversified farms. The SD Teaching and Research Farm is an example of a small farm that raises fruits and vegetables along with livestock, including free-range eggs and chicken meat. It provides an excellent site for outreach and training in organic food production. In addition, the SD Farm has a mobile processing unit for on-farm poultry slaughter, which is shared in the High Country farming community. Fanatico and farm staff will develop training components and provide outreach on processing, packaging and handling poultry products on small farms to maintain high food safety for poultry products and eggs, as well as vegetables and other produce. SD students take classes at the farm year-round and assist with poultry and vegetable processing and will be involved with workshops.
