Sara Gragg

Selected Peer Reviewed Articles

Zhang, S., R.L. Brashears, M.M. Brashears, M.X. Sanchez, and S.E. Gragg. Surveillance of Salmonella in cull boar, sow, and gilt lymph nodes and tonsils from six cull hog processing facilities in the United States. Journal of Food Protection. 88: 100642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100642

Abrego, A., B. Wiseman, and S.E. Gragg. Summarizing the current knowledge and existing knowledge gaps for pre-harvest and post-harvest Salmonella contamination in pork. Journal of Food Protection. 88:100609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100609

Fashenpour, E., D.A. Vargas, G.K. Betancourt-Barszcz, S.E. Blandon, M.X. Sanchez-Plata, M.M. Brashears, M.F. Miller, Q. Kang, V. Trinetta, J.L. Vipham, R.K. Phebus, and S.E. Gragg. 2024. Salmonella prevalence and quantification in market hog lymph nodes and tonsils in several regions and seasons of the United States. Journal of Food Protection. 87:100357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100357

Hay, V. J. Vipham, N.M. Bello, D.L. Boyle, S. Gragg, and V. Trinetta. 2024. Efficacy of cleaning and sanitizing methods in reducing Salmonella on banana leaves and bamboo baskets, common surfaces found in Cambodian fresh food markets. Food Protection Trends. 44:420-428. https://doi.org/10.4315/FPT-24-020

Vargas, D.A., R. Bueno Lopez, D.E. Casas, A.M. Osorio-Doblado, K.M. Rodriguez, N. Vargas, S.E. Gragg, M.M. Brashears, M.F. Miller, and M.X. Sanchez-Plata. 2024. Modernization data analysis and visualization for food safety research outcomes. Applied Sciences. 14:5259. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14125259

Irakoze, Z., L. Nwadike, M. Bhullar, P. Byers, and S.E. Gragg. 2024. Peroxyacetic acid and chlorine reduce Escherichia coli in agricultural surface water for potential produce post-harvest uses. Food Protection Trends. 44:359-369. https://doi.org/10.4315/FPT-23-037

Maher, J.M., J.S. Drouillard, A.N. Baker, V. de Aguiar Veloso, Q. Kang, J.J. Kastner, and S.E. Gragg. 2023. Impact of the probiotic organism Megasphaera elsdenii on Escherichia coli O157:H7 prevalence in finishing cattle. Journal of Food Protection. 86:100133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2023.100133

Maher, J.M., J. S. Drouillard, A.N. Baker, V. de Aguiar Veloso, Q. Kang, J.J. Kastner, and S.E. Gragg. 2023. Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in finishing cattle fed corn genetically modified to produce increased concentrations of alpha amylase in the corn kernel. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. 20:427-434. https://doi.org/10.1089/fpd.2023.0007

Pozuelo Bonilla, K., D. Vega, J. Maher, F. Najar-Villareal, Q. Kang, V. Trinetta, T.G. O’Quinn, R.K. Phebus, and S.E. Gragg. 2023. Validation of commercial antimicrobial intervention technologies to control Salmonella on skin-on market hog carcasses and chilled pork wholesale cuts. Food Control. 151:109829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2023.109829

Vargas, D. A., Betancourt-Barszcz, G. K., Blandon, S. E., Applegate, S. F., Brashears, M. M., Miller, M. F., Gragg, S. E., & Sanchez-Plata, M. X. 2023. Rapid quantitative method development for beef and pork lymph nodes using BAX® System Real Time Salmonella Assay. Foods. 12: 822. https://doi:10.3390/foods12040822

Irakoze, Z., L. Nwadike, D. Stoeckel, M. Bhullar, P. Byers, and S.E. Gragg. 2022. Evaluation of peroxyacetic acid and chlorine as treatments for surface water for post-harvest uses in the produce industry. Water. 14:3890. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14233890

Miller, M., J.M. Maher, B. Wiseman, and S.E. Gragg. 2022. Salmonella is present in multiple lymph nodes of market hog carcasses at slaughter. Food Protection Trends. 42:100-106. https://doi.org/10.4315/FPT-21-027

Haley, O.C., Y. Zhao, J.M. Maher, S.E. Gragg, V. Trinetta, M. Bhullar, and L. Nwadike. 2022. Comparative assessment of the microbial quality of agricultural water on Kansas and Missouri fresh produce farms. Food Protection Trends. 42:186-193. https://doi.org/10.4315/FPT-21-033

Habib, K., J. Drouillard, V. De Aguiar Veloso, G. Huynh, V. Trinetta, and S. E. Gragg. 2022. The Use of probiotic Megasphaera elsdenii as a pre-harvest intervention to reduce Salmonella in finishing beef cattle: An in vitro model. Microorganisms. 10:1400. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10071400

Unruh D.A., B.C. Uhl, R.K. Phebus, and S.E. Gragg. 2021. Attachment of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli to pre-chill and post-chill beef brisket tissue. Microorganisms. 9:2320. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9112320

Select Book Chapters

Gragg, S.E. and M.M. Brashears. 2023. Hurdle Technology, p. 205-210. In The Encyclopedia of Meat Sciences, 3rd Edition. Academic Press, Waltham, MA.

Ackleson, J., S.E. Gragg, J. Kastner E. Mulcahy, and D. Unruh*. 2019. Developing primary laws and secondary regulations for food safety: The case of FSMA and its attendant rules, In A. Santella (ed.), Master of Public Health Competencies: A Case Study Approach, Jones and Bartlett Learning, Burlington, MA (forthcoming).

Unruh, D.A., J.J. Kastner, J.R. Jenott, S.E. Gragg. 2016. Handling of Hamburgers and Cooking Practices, p. 107-122. In P. Kotzekidou (ed.), Food Hygiene and Toxicology in Ready to Eat Foods, Academic Press, Waltham, MA.

Gragg, S.E. and M.M. Brashears. 2014. Hurdle Technology, p. 345-347. In C. Devine and M. Dikeman (eds.), The Encyclopedia of Meat Sciences, 2nd Edition. Academic Press, Waltham, MA.