Agricultural water

The quality of agricultural waters used to irrigate crops is immensely important since postharvest processing steps fail to remove or inactivate enteric pathogens on products contaminated in the field. The majority of the world's supply of fresh water is used to irrigate land used for agricultural production. Several approaches can be employed to mitigate crop contamination during irrigation and limit water loss. Depending on available resources some producers are treating irrigation water with water antimicrobials prior to application to crops in a field. Employing appropriate methods, including drip and furrow irrigation minimizes contact of the edible portion of a crop with water. Such methods also reduce water loss through evaporation. Application of irrigation water contaminated with enteric pathogens can have long-term consequences since foodborne pathogens can persist for extended periods (weeks to months) in soil. Understanding the risks of agricultural water will aid in the use of approaches that mitigate in-field product contamination.