Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Marcia A. Kessack

Abstract

Foodborne diseases are the cause of many illnesses that occur from foods that contain mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are produced from fungi and are environmental and carcinogenic agents that contaminate agricultural foods during preharvest and postharvest conditions. While researchers have conducted many studies on mycotoxin occurrence and production, there is a significant gap in the current literature regarding which environmental factors could put farmers’ ability to remain in compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule at risk. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate which environmental factors could put farmers’ ability to remain in compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule at risk. The theoretical approach was the organizational economics theory with an emphasis on transaction cost economics. Secondary data consisted of 813 fumonisin toxin level survey from the Illinois Department of Agriculture and 4,020 temperature data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration collected between 2013 and 2018 were used in the analysis. Pearson correlations showed a significant negative relationship between fumonisin and temperature (p < .01). Linear regression analysis showed a significant statistical relationship between temperature and fumonisin (p < .05). There was also an association between temperature and wind that increase vomitoxin levels. The findings of this study showed the need to evaluate the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule to include compliance in the prevention of mycotoxins. The results of the study can influence positive social change that may bolster food safety regulations associated with risks of mycotoxin contamination in foods.

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