Safe and Sustainable Water Management for Pre-harvest Agro-food Safety

Pre-harvest Contamination of fresh produce occurs mainly through contact with contaminated water used for irrigation, fertigation, foliar application, and overhead cooling. Pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and viruses (e.g., norovirus and hepatitis A) can persist in water and soil, posing significant risks to food safety. Simultaneously, agriculture accounts for approximately 70[LM1.1]% of global freshwater withdrawals, and water shortages, climate variability, and competing demands are intensifying the need for sustainable water management.

This Research Topic advances the frontier of food safety and sustainability by focusing on pre-harvest contamination control strategies that are compatible with efficient, equitable, and resilient water use. It encourages interdisciplinary research in microbiology, engineering, agronomy, hydrology, environmental science, and data analytics to develop scientifically robust, innovative, and scalable solutions.

We particularly seek studies that generate new knowledge on contamination pathways, assessment methods, and intervention strategies that reduce microbial risks while conserving water, protecting ecosystems, and supporting the resilience of food systems. High-quality original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, and prospective opinions are welcome on the following topics:

• Water irrigation quality and risk assessment

• Pathogen monitoring and surveillance in pre-harvest environments

• Sustainable water reuse and treatment in agriculture

• Farm-level mitigation strategies for microbial and chemical hazards

• Links between climate variability, water scarcity, and food safety risks

• Innovations in precision agriculture, water management, and contamination prevention

• Policy, regulation, and implementation challenges in safe and sustainable production systems

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Water management, water oathogens, pre-harvest contamination, food systems, sustainability

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.