Home Grown: High-tech testing protects public from food-borne illness

CBS 13's April Hettinger examines how local farmers keep their produce safe

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - In Monday's Home Grown, the agriculture industry is always looking for new ways to improve food safety by taking extra preventative measures and improving technology.

Growers are testing produce more frequently to avoid potential outbreaks.

Robots and data collectors can now detect any contaminants before they hit the grocery stores.

They are programmed to run through the field and check each and every crop.

Walt Duflock, Vice President of Innovation for Western Growers Association they are also improving solutions to any food safety violations to help save produce.

"The number one way to prevent stuff is just to test as often as you can. Like most of our growers are testing very close to harvest. They will test the soil. They will test the water. They will test the product."

Timing is also a key factor in food safety.

Growers say there's no time to lose when it comes to crop contamination.

They test at three different times during the entire process during growing, harvesting and distribution.