Problem

What can be done to help improve food safety at the more than 84,000 farmers markets in the nation?

• Since 2008, seven major foodborne illness outbreaks and two recalls have occurred with food products from farmers markets.
• As farmers markets have increased in size and complexity in the kinds of foods sold, so have food safety risks.

Findings

Researchers assessed samples of leafy green produce and meat sold at farmers markets in Pennsylvania and found microbiological hazards such as Listeria and E. coli.

Impact

Researchers created an app for smartphones to be used in place of traditional clipboards to improve the quality of data collection related to food safety observations. They also developed a curriculum for Penn State Extension to train farmers market vendors in food safety. A reduction of just 1 percent in the 1,280 cases per year of foodborne illness in Pennsylvania could bring about $20,000 in health care cost savings yearly.