A study aimed at investigating the sources of salmonella in Indiana’s cantaloupe-growing regions currently includes several farms in Hoosier.
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You probably spent your late summer earning some extra cash in the melon fields or just enjoying some farm-fresh cantaloupe or watermelon if you grew up in southwest Indiana. In fact, one of the top producers of the latter is Indiana. The Hoosier state planted 1,800 acres of cantaloupe in 2018, with a production value of $8.6 million, placing it sixth in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s most recent data on the crop.
Examining Salmonella in Hoosier Produce Patches
With outbreaks connected to food in Arizona, California, Florida, and several other states, salmonella has grown in importance in recent years. In order to investigate the frequency and durability of salmonella in our area, scientists have teamed up with Hoosier growers. A multi-year study centered on the cantaloupe-growing region of southwest Indiana has been initiated by Purdue College of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
A Close Look at Hoosier Farms
The study includes four Purdue-operated farms in northwest Indiana s Tippecanoe County and the Southwest Purdue Ag Center near Vincennes. One farm in central Indiana will also be included in the project. Researchers plan to sample air, soil, water, and animal scat while also collecting weather data to better understand what environmental conditions may encourage the survival, growth, and spread of pathogens. The goal of the statewide study is to discuss food safety concerns and, consequently, how to remedy them. You may read more about it HERE.
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