A Safe, Nutritious & Delicious Thanksgiving Feast
Updated: 3 days ago
Before you gobble up your Thanksgiving feast, take a moment to be thankful for the research that keeps food on your table and makes sure that food is safe, nutritious, and tasty. Researchers at land-grant universities across the U.S. are working together to make production of sweet potatoes, green beans, potatoes, and other traditional Thanksgiving foods more efficient and profitable. Multistate efforts have bred crops and livestock so they are more resistant to pests and diseases, more tolerant of extreme weather, and have better taste, texture, and nutrient content. Scientists have also developed tools and methods to tackle food safety issues. Other studies have explored the health benefits of common Thanksgiving foods.
TURKEY
Multistate research has shed light on genetic mechanisms that influence disease resistance in poultry. Findings will help guide strategies to improve poultry health and productivity, reducing losses for producers and providing safer, higher quality poultry products for consumers.
Scientists at the University of Tennessee and Utah State University identified a genetic marker for the trait that makes turkeys resistant to toxic mold that can occur in feed. This discovery will help breed resistant domestic turkeys and save the industry millions of dollars each year.
Research has revealed ways to improve turkey meat texture and tenderness, highly sought-after qualities that could be a major economic boost to the industry. Researchers at Texas A&M University and the University of Delaware identified genetic and molecular factors that influence the onset and progression of “woody breast,” which causes poor texture in turkey breast meat. Other studies showed that thermal stress can have long-term effects on turkey meat quality.
Iowa State University scientists tested new types of protein and lipid supplements to improve turkey growth and health.
University of Minnesota scientists designed an innovative flooring system that reduces the need for litter maintenance and improves turkey health and performance.
To prevent and manage food safety issues, scientists at the University of Wyoming developed detection tools for pathogens in raw poultry products, University of Arkansas evaluated feeding prebiotics to poultry, and scientists at Colorado State University tested antimicrobial sprays and electrostatic sprayers.
CRANBERRY SAUCE
Researchers have found ways to prevent food safety issues in berries, including a tool that helps growers detect fruit fly infestations, a quick test for Listeria and Salmonella, and practices that reduce pathogens in berries.
HAM
Researchers have worked together to enhance swine management, reducing costs for producers and improving pig welfare.
Kansas State University scientists found ways to manage risks of Salmonella in the pork production chain.
A multistate team found that replacing dietary antibiotics with a natural amino acid improves pig wellbeing and productivity, helps them cope with stressors, and reduces feed costs for producers by 18%.
Researchers were granted a U.S. patent for a form of vitamin B3, which increases poultry muscle size, improves pig resistance to fatigue, and stabilizes the color of pork cuts.
SALAD
Researchers at Michigan State University studied the survival and transfer of foodborne pathogens during leafy greens processing. Rutgers University scientists showed how temperature affects pathogen growth in leafy greens.
As part of a multistate project, researchers developed a method for irradiating delicate and complex-shaped fresh fruits and vegetables, which are easily damaged by traditional sanitation methods that use heat.
BREAD ROLLS
Rutgers University scientists evaluated Salmonella survival in flour.
Montana State University scientists developed wheat with high lysine, an essential amino acid with many health functions.
Multistate research showed grain processors best practices to prevent outbreaks of toxic molds.
CORNBREAD
Researchers designed a custom system that identifies toxic mold in corn kernels.
Scientists found effective ways to fight insect pests in corn.
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
Since 1939, the Sweet Potato Collaborators Conference has been a forum for generating and sharing information about sweet potato production and post-harvest practices. The group coordinates annual regional trials of promising sweet potato varieties and facilitates the commercial release of new varieties. Group members also investigate and share best practices for pest and disease management, mechanization, and marketing.
A multistate team coordinates the preservation and distribution of sweet potato genetic material, which is key to research and crop improvement and has led to many of today's sweet potato varieties. Recently, University of Guam scientists evaluated sweet potato germplasm for adaptation to tropical environments.
Researchers are evaluating current commercial sweet potato varieties for resistance to microscopic worms that damage plants.
Field trials in Hawaii, Alabama, and North Carolina showed that farmers can use cover crops to suppress pests, enhance soil health, and improve sweet potato yields.
Scientists are designing sensor and imaging systems for sweet potatoes so scientists and growers can rapidly and accurately assess plant growth and resource use.
To automate sweet potato grading and sorting during harvest and processing, researchers at Michigan State University, Mississippi State University, North Carolina State University, University of Illinois, and Louisiana State University are developing datasets, algorithms, and robotic machine vision systems. These systems will help overcome labor shortages when there are not enough farm workers to harvest, sort, and grade sweet potatoes by hand.
Researchers at the University of Hawaii screened sweet potatoes for various species of root-knot nematodes, helping prevent introduction of these pests at a critical transit point between Asia and the U.S. mainland.
MASHED POTATOES
A multistate research project is responsible for many of the most-planted potato varieties in the U.S. In particular, seed potatoes developed by the project yielded potato crops with a retail value of $295.5 million in 2025.
Land-grant universities are also responsible for potato varieties that have resistance to drought, frost, and diseases; desirable qualities for processors and consumers.
Scientists at Montana State University bred potatoes that could be useful in managing diseases like obesity and diabetes because they have high amylose (which improves gut health) and low amylopectin (which at high levels can spike blood sugar).
A multistate team from the University of Idaho, Montana State University, Washington State University, and University of Wisconsin developed a virus detection training for potato growers, inspectors, and regulators, helping them act quickly and prevent serious losses.
University of Idaho scientists worked on potatoes with resistance to tuber greening, which produces a compound that can be toxic to consumers. Other scientists developed research-based storage protocols to prevent tuber greening.
GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
Working together, scientists have bred beans with higher resistance to pathogens and tolerance to heat, drought, and flooding. Researchers also developed strategies to manage nematodes (microscopic worms) that damage beans.
ROASTED CARROTS
Studies at the University of Connecticut, University of Illinois, and Oklahoma State University explored how carotenoids (the natural orange pigments in carrots) affect immune response and could help protect against obesity, cancer, heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty, liver disease, bowel disease, and chronic inflammation associated with Type 2 diabetes.
APPLE PIE
A multistate project is responsible for apple tree rootstocks that have increased apple yields by 20% and apple size by 10%, resulting in gains of over $200 million.
A mechanized harvest-assist device designed by Pennsylvania State University researchers can eliminate ladder falls and increase the number of apples harvested per second 50%.
Research is improving the storage and shelf life of apples. Growers are using recommended treatments and protocols to store apple crops worth tens of millions of dollars. Studies at Cornell University showed that dynamic controlled atmosphere storage significantly delays stem end flesh browning in Gala apples.
PUMPKIN PIE
To control weeds and improve pumpkin yield and quality, University of Tennessee researchers developed cost-effective biodegradable plastic mulch.
Scientists designed an automated, robotic device to rapidly and accurately gather data in pumpkin fields.
Researchers developed innovative treatments that reduce Salmonella in spices and other low-moisture foods, which are difficult to sanitize with traditional methods.
University of Minnesota researchers tested using intense pulsed light technology to pasteurize powdered foods (like flour and spices) without heat.
PECAN PIE
Multistate research has helped predict, detect, and manage pecan pests. Over the years, these efforts have helped save the U.S. pecan crop from devastating injury.
BEER & WINE
Researchers found ways to reduce fungal infections in barley during malting, keeping beer free of the toxic molds. Other scientists are breeding desirable hop varieties.
Multistate research is helping wine grape growers in the U.S. select varieties that suit their growing conditions, have higher yields, and produce wines that are desirable to consumers and competitive internationally.