Bringing Food Safety Indoors: Food safety insights for indoor, vertical and modern greenhouse farming.

May 27, 2025 (10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Eastern Time)

Webinar Description

Cultivating plants within a contained environment, and thereby protected from the elements, has a long history. Previously, indoor farming meant using greenhouses to increase productivity along with extending growing seasons. The advent of enabling technologies such as LED lighting, energy management, robotics and environmental control systems, has enabled indoor farming to become economically viable for staple crop production. This has led to an increase in indoor farming facilities across the globe to enhance food production through a local supply that is more protected against extreme weather events compared to conventional farming, thereby enhancing food security. There is also the perception that indoor farmed crops are protected from contamination from pathogens (e.g., Salmonella, toxigenic Escherichia coli) and chemical hazards, such as excessive pesticide residues, by virtue of being within a contained environment. However, there have been several outbreaks and recalls associated with indoor farmed crops. Consequently, there is a need for a greater understanding of the sources of contamination and what risk management options are available to growers. To address this need, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been developing a publication on the food safety insights for various types of indoor farming systems. The first part of the presentation will provide an overview of the FAO mission and how the publication has been prepared. The second part of the presentation will describe the different elements and systems encompassed under the indoor farming umbrella. The sources of contamination via the different inputs within farming operations will be described along with the fate of pathogens (STEC, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes) when introduced on seed, growth substrate and irrigation water. Interventions to reduce contamination while maintaining plant growth performance and quality will be outlined. The presentation will be of interest to competent authorities, researchers, producers, technology providers, inspectors and educators.

Learning Objectives:

Learning objectives
•To understand the key elements and systems within indoor farming operations.
•Be able to identify specific food safety risks associated with indoor farming vs conventional outdoor farming.
•Be aware of risk management options for indoor farming to control chemical and biological hazards
•To identify and discuss future research needs