Ithaca College

Despite increasing interest in aquaponic and hydroponic food production systems as a way to address food sustainability and security needs, there is a huge knowledge gap in the prevalence and distribution of pathogens. This study generated data on the levels and prevalence of microbial contaminants in three aquaponics and five hydroponics systems in New York to help address this knowledge gap and to generate preliminary data on which future studies can build.

The study is based on Lauren Saylor’s ENVS 2018 honors thesis, directed by Daniel Weller and Paula Turkon. Lauren is currently an Audubon Vermont Environmental Policy Research Intern and a third year Law Student at Vermont Law School.  Daniel Weller completed his PhD. in Food Science from Cornell University in 2017 and is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in Biostatistics and Environmental Health at the University of Rochester. Link to article: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/6/3/42/htm