Cyclospora, Summer Surprises, and Safe Produce with Bryan Brady

On this episode of Hort Culture, Ray, Alexis, Jessica, and Brett chat with Bryan Brady, Senior Extension Associate for Cultivate Kentucky, about everything from summertime Kentucky heat to the less-than-glamorous world of food safety and produce outbreaks. They dive deep into the biology of resilient microscopic parasites like Cyclospora, why standard wash water sanitizers can accidentally spread trouble across large batches of shredded lettuce, and how the lengthy incubation period makes these outbreaks so tough to trace. The crew also explores the intricacies of agricultural water risks, third-party GAP audits, and why buying local helps keep supply chains short and manageable compared to massive commercial operations.

Kentucky Hort Council Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) [https://kyhortcouncil.org/good-agricultural-practices-gaps/]

Kentucky Hort Council GAP Cost-Share Program [https://kyhortcouncil.org/khc-cost-share-programs/]

Bryan Brady, Cultivate Kentucky Senior Extension Associate [https://foodconnection.mgcafe.uky.edu/directory/brady-bryan]

The Kentucky Produce Safety Program [https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/documents/PS_UK_Extension_Publication_Kentucky_Produce_Food_Safety_Program.pdf]

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