Project Description

Cambodia’s commitment to reducing malnutrition has led to the increased promotion of high-value, nutritionally rich foods, including raw vegetables which carry a risk of foodborne disease unless consistently protected from cross-contamination with foodborne pathogens. This project, co-led by Paul Ebner at Purdue University and Jessie Vipham at Kansas State University, integrated microbiology, social behavior change science, and economics to identify strategies to reduce foodborne illness from the consumption of vegetables. Researchers mapped and characterized the prominent pathogens and contamination points; assessed value chain actors’ food safety awareness and perceived barriers to adopting food safety interventions; and quantified consumers’ willingness to pay for safety-certified produce.

Co-PIs: Lyda Hok, Nora Bello, Rithy Chrun, Edward Dudley, Jasna Kovac, Chanthol Peng, and Navin Sreng