Science News reported in the December 16, 2006, issue on various research projects around the U.S. to eliminate pathogens from fresh produce:
•Texas A&M researchers are spraying lactic acid, a chemical used to sanitize carcasses in the meat industry.
•At Purdue University, fresh produce has been treated with chlorine dioxide gas, the sanitizer used to treat anthrax-tainted mail in 2001.
•USDA’s Agricultural Research Service has developed a pastereurization technique for cantaloupe; a conveyor immerses a melon in water heated to 76°C, hot enough to kill salmonella, for 3 minutes.
•Texas A&M is experimenting with irradiation of cantaloupes, spinach and tomatoes.
    Although all these methods have been effective at killing bacteria, their effect on taste, texture and vitamin content has not been determined.