GoodAgricultural andHandlingPractices ...arkansas-ag-news.uark.edu/pdf/984.pdf · tion, post-harvest handling,packaging,transportation,and storage.Adequate food-safety precautions

ARKANSA S AGR I CULTURAL EXPER IMENT STAT IONDivision of Agriculture University of Arkansas SystemJanuary 2009 Research Report 984

P.L. Brady and J.R. Morris

Good Agriculturaland Handling Practices

for Grapes and Other Fresh Produce

Technical editing, layout, and cover design by Camilla CroneArkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville.Milo J. Shult, Vice President for Agriculture. Mark J. Cochran, AAES Director and Associate Vice Presidentfor Agriculture–Research. PMC400QX7. The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture follows a nondiscriminatorypolicy in programs and employment.ISSN:1539-5944 CODEN:AKABA7

This publication is available on the Internet at http://arkansasagnews.uark.edu/1356.htm

Front and back cover photos courtesy of the University of Arkansas Viticulture and Enology Program; cover photo showsSunbelt grapes developed by J.N. Moore, J.R. Morris, and J.R. Clark at the University of Arkansas. Sunbelt has characteris-tics similar to Concord, differing primarily in its ability to ripen more evenly in warm climates. Its juice quality is equal toor better than that of Concord.

Good Agricultural and Handling Practices

for Grapes and Other Fresh Produce

Pamela L. Brady, ProfessorInstitute of Food Science and Engineering

University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture2650 N. Young Ave.

Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703

Justin R. Morris, Distinguished ProfessorDirector, Viticulture and Enology Program

andInstitute of Food Science and Engineering

University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture2650 N. Young Ave.


University of Arkansas Division of AgricultureArkansas Agricultural Experiment Station


Acknowledgments

This publication was prepared as part of grant project #2006-55618-17203entitled “Enhancement of family farms through value-added grape products” fundedby the National Research Initiative (NRI) of the USDA Cooperative State Research,Education and Extension Service.

CONTENTS

Impact Statement ................................................................................................4Introduction ........................................................................................................5Consumers and Produce Safety ..........................................................................5Hazards in Fresh Produce ..................................................................................6Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) ..................................................................7

GAPs in Field Site Selection ..........................................................................7GAPs for Water ..............................................................................................7GAPs and Animals ........................................................................................9Worker Health and Safety is a GAP ..........................................................10

Good Handling Practices (GHPs) Are Critical to Assure Safety ......................11Harvesting and Handling ............................................................................11Worker Health and Hygiene........................................................................11Post-Harvest Water Quality ........................................................................12Cooling Considerations ..............................................................................13Produce Cleaning and Treatment ..............................................................14Produce Packing and Storage......................................................................15Storage of Fresh Produce ............................................................................16Transportation GHPs ..................................................................................16

Costs and Benefits of Added Safety ..................................................................17Further Reading ................................................................................................18

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Impact Statement

Many owners of small- and medium-size farms in Arkansas and through-out the U.S. are finding it difficult to remain economically viable with traditionalcrops. Increasingly, these growers are exploring the potential for sustainability of-fered by the production of alternative crops such as grapes and other types of pro-duce. However, recent nationwide outbreaks of foodborne illness linked to producehave demonstrated that these foods may be carriers of hazards, and, when this oc-curs, the effects can be devastating both for producers and consumers.

There are many activities that take place as grapes and other produce movefrom the farm to the consumer’s table. These include activities related to produc-tion, post-harvest handling, packaging, transportation, and storage. Adequate food-safety precautions at each of these stages are absolutely necessary. Implementationof safety programs such as the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Man-ufacturing Practices (GMPs) discussed in this publication is an important step inreducing possible hazards associated with produce throughout the production anddistribution chain.

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Introduction

In recent years consumption offresh fruits and vegetables has increaseddramatically. This trend has increased theamount of produce being purchased atfarmer’s markets, road-side stands, andneighborhood markets since consumerssay they feel that the direct contact withgrowers at these markets makes them bet-ter able to assess the quality and safety ofthe produce. This buying trend hasopened new markets to small- andmedium-sized farms, which sell at theselocal outlets.

Grapes, like a majority of fruitsand vegetables eaten in the U.S., arewholesome and free of most microorgan-isms. However, since grapes and manyother produce products are eaten withoutany cooking to kill potentially harmfulorganisms that might be present, the bestapproach to maintaining a safe product isfor growers, processors, and others whohandle the products to be aware of possi-ble risks and to constantly take steps toassure that the produce they grow is safe.There are many activities that take placein the production, handling, and market-ing of fresh fruits and vegetables. Each ofthese activities should be carefully as-sessed and appropriate steps taken to as-sure the safety and wholesomeness of theproduce.

Consumers and Produce Safety

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines forAmericans recommended eating at leastfour and a half cups (9 servings) of fruitsand vegetables a day. As a result of theseGuidelines and other recommendationsfor improved health, Americans arechoosing to include more produce intheir diets. Grapes have been a popularchoice for many Americans seeking to eathealthier since studies have shown theyare high in many health-promotingcomponents.

In addition to eating healthier,busy consumers want foods that can beprepared quickly and easily. Grapes andother fresh produce meet this require-ment since most produce can be eatenwithout cooking. Like many fruits, grapesrequire very little preparation other thanwashing. Some fruits and vegetables mayalso need to be cut into pieces beforeserving. Many grocery stores are nowmaking fruits and vegetables more con-venient for consumers by offering fresh-cut produce that is ready to eat directlyfrom the package.

As a final incentive to eat moreproduce, improvements in transportationand storage systems and greater numbersof imports from other countries havedramatically increased the variety of

Good Agricultural and Handling Practicesfor Grapes and Other Fresh Produce

Pamela L. Brady and Justin R.MorrisInstitute of Food Science and Engineering

University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture

fruits and vegetables available at reason-able prices year-round.

While fruit and vegetable con-sumption has been increasing, diseasestransmitted by foods have become amajor public health concern. Although a

relatively small percentage of all food-borne disease is caused by eating produce,there has been an increase in foodborneillness associated with fruits and vegeta-bles. Growers and handlers of fresh pro-duce must carefully control the factorsthat can affect the safety of their products.

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AAES Research Report 984

A hazard is something thatcould cause harm to the consumer. Thereare three main types of hazards associatedwith fresh fruits and vegetables:

Biological hazards result frommicroorganisms such as bacteria, viruses,and parasites as well as some fungi thatproduce toxins (poisons). These microor-ganisms can contaminate produce anytime from when it is in the field until it iseaten.

Chemical hazards arise fromcontamination of product with harmfulor potentially harmful chemicals. Thishazard may be due to chemicals naturally

in the produce. It may be due to chemi-cals used during agricultural production,to additives used in fruit handling andprocessing, or to materials used to extendstorage life.

Physical hazards are materialsthat are not supposed to be in the prod-uct. This might be stones, sticks, or othermaterial accidentally picked up duringharvest. Foreign material, like pieces ofpacking boxes, staples, metal slivers, etc.,that get into the produce during handlingor transportation are also physical haz-ards sometimes found in grapes andother fresh fruits and vegetables.

HAZARDS IN FRESH PRODUCE

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Good Agricultural and Handling Practices for Grapes and Other Fresh Produce

GAPs in Field Site Selection

Selection of the appropriate siteis critical to establishing a productivefarm or vineyard. It is also the first step toassuring safe product. Previous use of theland, prior agricultural production prac-tices, and the location of the site relativeto potential hazards all can affect thesafety of produce grown on the site.

Agricultural land that was usedpreviously for activities other than grow-ing food crops may be contaminated withdisease-causing organisms or toxic chem-icals. Land that was used for animal pro-duction may contain disease-causingmicroorganisms from the animals. Therisk of contamination from prior use ofthe land is related to the time that haspassed since the land was used for otheractivities.

Even when an investigation ofthe prior use of the land indicates that itwas used solely for growing crops, priorproduction practices should be reviewed.Practices such as improper use of animalor chemical fertilizers can increase thepotential risks.

GAPs forWater

Water is used for many agricul-tural activities, including irrigation, pes-ticide and fertilizer application, cooling,and frost protection. Microorganisms inwater used for these activities can con-taminate fruits and vegetables. Theseverity of the hazard resulting frompoor water quality depends on the typeand number of microorganisms in thewater and their ability to survive on theproduce.

Although the trickle irrigationused in many vineyards limits the expo-

GOODAGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (GAPs)FOR PRODUCE GROWERS

The key principle to growing grapes and other produce safely is to rememberthat prevention of contamination is much more effective than corrective actions aftercontamination has occurred.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) are scientifically based guidelines to re-duce or eliminate microbial contamination of fresh produce in the field and in packinghouses. Application of these guidelines along with practices to reduce other hazardscan help minimize food safety hazards.

sure of the grapes to irrigation water,other activities still offer risk of fruitcontamination if water quality is notmaintained.

Growers should identify thesource of all agricultural water and deter-mine its potential contamination.

Agricultural water sources in-clude surface waters such as rivers,streams, irrigation ditches, and opencanals; impoundments such as ponds,reservoirs, and lakes; groundwater fromwells; and, occasionally, public watersystems.

It is generally assumed thatground water is less likely to be contami-nated than surface water since surfacewater often flows through a variety of en-vironmental situations that may expose itto contamination. However, care must betaken to assure ground water sourcessuch as wells are designed and main-tained so that water does not becomecontaminated.

Potential contamination sourcesfor surface water include animal produc-tion areas, manure applied to land, indus-trial operations, and areas ofconcentrated human populations. Al-though there is little a grower can doabout these sources, it is important thatthe grower be aware of potential prob-lems from up-stream sources and takeevery possible step to minimize possiblecontamination.

Improperly managed humanand animal wastes are important sourcesof contamination for agricultural water.Human contamination may occur fromimproperly designed or poorly managedseptic systems, from sewage treatmentdischarges, and from sewer system andstorm drain overflows.

The presence of coliform bacte-ria is an indicator that water has fecalcontamination. The maximum contami-nant level (MCL) for total coliform/E. coliin drinking water is zero. Although thereare no defined standards for agriculturalwater, GAPs recommend applying drink-ing-water standards to agricultural water.

Water should be tested regularlyto assure it is free of coliform contamina-tion. Testing of open water sourcesshould generally occur more frequentlythan testing of closed sources like wells.

In addition to microbial hazards,water also can contain chemical contami-nants. Hazardous chemicals may get intowater that flows through soils containinghigh levels of chemicals. Water washingover road beds, over fields and lawns

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treated with pesticides, herbicides, or fer-tilizers, or through dump sites or otherareas high in potentially hazardous mate-rials can pick up chemicals that may con-taminate grapes and other fruits andvegetables.

Water used for applications ofpesticides and foliar fertilizers also can bea source of produce contamination. Forthis reason, only good quality water shouldbe used for produce growing/processing.

The stage of development of thefruit or vegetable and the time betweenwhen the product is contaminated andharvest play important roles in determin-ing the level of contamination. The riskof the contamination being carried overto the consumer is greatest if contamina-tion occurs near or after harvest.

GAPs and Animals

All animals are potential sourcesof contamination for produce since ani-mals carry microorganisms both on andin their bodies. In addition, they are inconstant contact with soil, manure, andwater where they can pick up additionalcontaminants.

Grapes andother producemay be contami-nated by animalwastes when farmanimals are pas-tured in or nearvineyards orother growingareas. Allowing

dogs and other pets in vineyards or culti-vated fields also increases the possibilityof product contamination. High concen-trations of birds and other wildlifearound growing produce are also poten-tial sources of contamination on thefarm. While it is not possible to keep allanimals out of fields and vineyards, keep-ing out as much animal life as possiblenot only improves the safety of the prod-uct but also aids in preventing damage tothe crop, which can lower market value.

Although poultry litter and ani-mal manure are not used as fertilizer invineyards, properly treated manure andlitter can be effective and safe fertilizer forother crops. However, if untreated, im-properly treated, or recontaminated aftertreatment, manure may contain microor-ganisms that can contaminate the crops itis used on and may even become a hazardfor other crops in nearby fields. There-fore, use of animal wastes as fertilizermust be closely managed to limit the po-tential for produce contamination. Main-taining records of waste-handlingprocedures is important to verify thatproper safety measures were followed.

Insects and rodents that arecommonlyfound in pro-duction andhandling areascan carry mi-croorganismsthat can con-taminate pro-duce. Thesepests also candamage pack-

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aging materials, other supplies, andbuildings. Since pests are attracted toareas where they have food, water, andmaterials for nesting, cleaning is an im-portant step for controlling them. Mini-mizing the presence of waste piles, culledfruit, and other attractants will help re-duce the numbers of pests. In additionto good cleanliness practices, it also isimportant to implement a pest controlprogram.

Worker Health and Safety is a GAP

Field workers have close directcontact with most produce and especiallywith grapes. In some cases, they are thelast people to touch the produce before itreaches the consumer. Anything a workertouches can be transferred to the surfaceof the produce and, ultimately, to theconsumer. A training program should bein place to assure workers know and fol-low appropriate sanitation practices toprotect the product.

All workers should be taughtappropriate techniques for hand washingand the importance of following thesetechniques should be constantly re-enforced by growers, supervisors, andforemen. Workers should be taught towash their hands after using the toilet,eating, smoking, or engaging in anyother activity that could lead to handcontamination.

Employees should be providedwith adequate sanitary facilities. Toilet fa-cilities should be provided close to thefield or vineyard but they should be

placed so that there is no risk of contami-nating water, soil, or the fruit. Sanitaryfacilities should be maintained with ade-quate supplies of soap and disposabletowels.

Employees should be providedwith good quality water for drinking,hand washing, and sanitary needs. Ifgloves are used, employees must betaught that they are not a substitute forgood hand sanitation and employeesmust be made aware of the safety consid-erations for their use.

Employees should be instructedto report any illness to their supervisorsbefore beginning work. It should beclearly understood that workers with di-

arrhea or symptoms of other infectiousdiseases should not come in contact withfresh produce or produce-handlingequipment. A policy for assigning in-fected workers to alternative work wherethey do not come in contact with theproduct should be in place to help assurethe workers that reporting illness will notresult in losing a day’s pay.

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Harvesting and Handling

Contamination of fresh pro-duce, including grapes, can occur duringharvest. Sources of this contamination in-clude contact with field workers, environ-mental contaminants such as soil, water,and air, and unclean or contaminatedequipment.

Harvest equipment includingmachinery, knives, containers, baskets,buckets, pallets, and lugs should becleaned and sanitized before use, used ap-propriately, and kept as clean as possible.Containers and packing materials shouldbe handled with care and kept clean andfree from dirt and contaminants. Dam-aged or culled product should be re-moved from harvest equipment as soonas possible to avoid attracting pests.

Worker Health and Hygiene

Workers who pick, process, orpackage produce can transfer contami-nants to the product from their hands,clothing, or via coughs, sneezes, or opencuts or sores. Training workers aboutwhen and how to wash hands and the im-portance of good sanitation in all activi-ties is as important to product safety andquality as product handling training.

Workers who are ill or haveopen wounds should not be allowed tocontact the produce or produce-handlingequipment. If workers are healthy enoughand can safely do so, they may be as-signed jobs that do not involve productcontact.

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GOOD HANDLING PRACTICES (GHPs) ARE CRITICAL TO ASSURESAFETY OF GRAPES AND OTHER PRODUCE

Efforts to assure safety do not end when grapes and other fruits and veg-etables are harvested. In fact, studies have shown that the packing process is thepoint in the field-to-table chain where most fresh produce is at the greatest risk forcontamination.

Good handling practices (GHPs) are sanitary procedures for the activitiesthat move fruits and vegetables from the field to the consumer’s table. The use ofGHPs help reduce the risk of contamination of fresh produce during handling, pack-ing, storage, and transportation.

While crops are in the field, soil, water, and air as well as humans and animalscan contaminate surfaces with potentially hazardous microorganisms. During andafter harvest many conditions come together that favor the growth of these organisms.Although there is very little that can be done during handling, processing, storage, andtransporting of produce to reduce the numbers of contaminants present, care duringthese operations can keep contaminants from multiplying. In addition, appropriatehandling will reduce the risk of increased hazards due to cross-contamination, temper-ature abuse, and elevated product respiration rates.

Post-Harvest Water Quality

Grapes are unique in that verylittle water is used in handling them afterharvest. However, because water for post-harvest operations can be a significantsource of contamination with most pro-duce, it is important that all producers beaware of the ways water used in post-har-vest handling can contribute to fruit andvegetable contamination.

For many fruits and vegetables,water is used in dump tanks to reduce in-jury to the produce when field containersare emptied onto the packing line. It alsomay be used for rinsing produce. Coldwater may be used to remove field heatfrom the produce while hot water treat-ments can be used as a means of insectcontrol for some commodities.

Water used for post-harvest op-erations should be free of disease-causingorganisms. Therefore, it is recommendedthat all water used in produce processingmeet EPA requirements for drinkingwater. Because contaminated water can

lead to product contamina-tion, all equipment surfacesthat the water contactsshould be cleaned and sani-tized to prevent contamina-tion of the water.

Water used in produce-handling operations shouldbe changed as often as nec-essary to maintain sanitaryconditions. Microorganismson the fruit can accumulate

in processing water and then be spread toother fruit. All recirculated water shouldbe changed at least daily. It may need tobe changed more frequently if the waterbecomes extremely dirty due to a buildupof waste matter from the produce.

Maintaining water quality forpost-harvest handling of produce usuallyinvolves the addition of an approved san-itizer to the water. Chlorine is the sani-tizer most commonly used in water forproduce handling. Chlorine is available ina number of forms, including sodiumhypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, andliquid chlorine.

If chlorine is used as the sani-tizer in water for use with fresh fruits andvegetables, it is important to monitor thefree (unreacted) chlorine concentrationin the water by taking water samples atleast hourly to test for chlorine concen-tration. Local environmental codesshould be consulted for rules pertainingto proper disposal of chlorinated water.

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Cooling Considerations

Good temperature managementis a critical GHP for determining the ulti-mate quality of fresh produce. Post-har-vest temperature control is vital to fruitand vegetable health. In addition, temper-ature influences the rate of growth of mi-croorganisms which may be present onthe product.

Temperature control for grapesbegins at harvest. The general recommen-dation is to harvest grapes during thenight or early in the morning when airtemperature, and therefore fruit tempera-ture, is lower. This is especially importantwhen harvesting mechanically.

After harvest, all produce shouldbe kept as cool as possible until it is re-moved from the field. Product waiting tobe transferred to a packing facility, win-ery, or market should not be allowed tosit in the sun. Exposing picked fruits andvegetables to direct sun can result in a sig-nificant rise in their temperature. How-ever, care should be taken to avoidcontamination during shading. For ex-ample, boxes of grapes placed undervines for shading until they can be re-moved from the vineyard should be pro-tected from insects and bird droppings.

Cooling fruit to storage temper-atures as quickly as possible is anothercritical step for maintaining safety andquality. Rapid cooling is important be-cause lower temperatures lead to less

multiplication of microorganisms andcan lessen product spoilage by reducingthe metabolic rate of the product and de-creasing water loss. As a general rule,more quality is lost in one hour at 68°Fthan in 24 hours at 32°F.

Pre-cooling is the term com-monly used to refer to any cooling treat-ment before shipping, storage, orprocessing. A number of methods areused for pre-cooling fruits and vegetables;however, the two most commonly usedmethods are cold air and cooling withwater, i.e., hydrocooling.

Cooling of grapes should beginas soon after harvest as possible. Becausepost-harvest exposure to water may lowerthe quality of grapes, they are generallyair-cooled using forced-air coolers to pro-vide rapid cooling. Once cooled, grapesmay be placed in storage rooms at 30°-32°F, 90-95% RH and moderate air flowto maintain quality until transfer to mar-ket. Some grapes destined for wine aredestemmed, crushed, and the mustcooled in the vineyard to preserve mustquality for shipping to the winery.

Some produce is cooled orstored by packing it in ice. If this processis used, it is important that the ice ismade from good quality water so it doesnot contaminate the produce. Water frommelting ice should be removed in a wayto prevent it from contacting and con-taminating other produce.

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Produce Cleaning and Treatment

Washing and sanitizing fruitsand vegetables are common methods toreduce surface contamination. However,some commodities with large surfaceareas that readily hold water, like straw-berries, other berries, and grapes, havesignificantly reduced shelf life if they arewashed prior to storage. For these prod-ucts, air is the best cleaning method to re-move dust and debris. With thesecommodities, prevention of contamina-tion is the best way to control surfacemicroorganisms.

Fruits and vegetables whosestructures can tolerate water should bewashed, since this reduces the numbers ofmicroorganisms on the product and low-ers the risk of foodborne illness associ-ated with the produce. Reducing thenumber of organisms also helps decreasespoilage and improves appearance andnutritive value.

Water used to wash producemust be of free of organisms that mightcause disease. The initial wash to removesurface dirt can be with water alone orwith water containing food-grade deter-gents or permanganate salts.

Equipment used for washingproduce should be selected based on thecharacteristics of the produce. Soft pro-duce is generally washed with a waterspray as the product moves along on con-veyor belts. More-solid fruits and vegeta-

bles may be washed in rotating devices oron flumes. Root crops are typicallycleaned with brush washers that containcylindrical rotating brushes. Regardless ofthe type of equipment used, all equip-ment should be cleaned and sanitized be-fore use with fruits and vegetables andrecleaned whenever dirt buildup occurs.

After produce is cleaned, a sani-tizing step, generally using chemicalagents, usually follows. Sanitizing meanstreating clean produce to destroy or sub-stantially reduce the numbers of microor-ganisms of public health concern,without adversely affecting the quality ofthe product or its safety.

It is important that the sanita-tion step be applied only to produce thathas already been washed. Dirt can inter-fere with the ability of sanitizing agents toreduce the numbers of microorganisms.

Chlorine is the sanitizer mostcommonly used with produce, but thereare many other sanitizing agents on themarket. The effectiveness of each individ-ual sanitizer is influenced by factors suchas water temperature, pH, contact time,organic matter in the sanitizer solution,and the surface structure of the fruit orvegetable. The instructions from the san-itizer’s manufacturer should always bestrictly followed when using sanitizers.When in doubt about proper sanitizer useor when considering a new sanitizer foruse on produce, it is important to contactthe sanitizer manufacturer for guidanceon how to use it effectively.

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Produce Packing and Storage

Packing and storage facilitieswill vary depending on the produce beingprocessed and the size of the operation.Since grapes do not receive a wash treat-ment, many growers prefer to pack grapesin the field, thus eliminating the extrastep of transporting the fruit to a packinghouse. Field packing also is becomingcommon for some other products.

The packing house can be asmall shed near the field or a large build-ing with many processing and storageareas. Regardless of the size of the opera-tion or the produce being handled, GHPsare essential to prevent the physical facil-ity from becoming a source of producecontamination and to ensure consistentproduce quality.

Whether packing occurs in thefield or in a packing house, all equipmentused for handling freshly harvested pro-duce should be designed for easy cleaningand maintained properly to prevent con-tamination. If possible, all equipment andcontainersthat come indirect con-tact withproduce oringredientsshould bestainless steelor plasticsince thesematerials areeasy to cleanand sanitize

and less likely to splinter or chip. Allequipment should be placed so that it iseasy to clean around it. When not in use,equipment should be stored so that it isnot exposed to contaminants.

If product is washed, it is a goodpractice to color-code or label containersso that it is easy to distinguish betweenthose used for transporting the productbefore washing and those used for cleanproduct. Keeping unwashed and washedproduct separated is necessary to avoidre-contaminating the cleaned product.

Steps also must be taken to pre-vent contamination of produce with for-eign materials that could cause harm toconsumers. Produce handling equipmentshould not have loose bolts, knobs, ormovable parts that could accidentally falloff into the produce. If the equipment hasany paint on it, the paint should be ap-proved for food-processing equipmentand should be applied so it does not chipeasily. All equipment should be main-tained so there is no rust that can flake offonto the product. Only food-grade oil

and lubri-cants shouldbe used onprocessingand handlingequipment,and oil leaksand over-lubricationmust beavoided.

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Packing boxes andcrates should be handled sothey do not chip or splinter.Packing containers shouldnot be closed with staplesor nails since these maybecome contaminants in theproduce.

A complete equip-ment cleaning and mainte-nance program should beestablished. Equipment mal-functions should be reportedas soon as they start to develop, so thatthe necessary precautions can be takenbefore a small problem becomes some-thing more serious.

Storage of Fresh Produce

All fresh fruits and vegetablesshould be stored in clean locations usingan organized system. Codes should beplaced on boxes to identify the contentsand provide information about packing.These codes can help assure inventory ro-tation to minimize the time that the com-modity is stored. They also will assist in arecall, in case of problems during distri-bution and marketing.

Boxes of product should beplaced on pallets to avoid direct contactwith floors. Pallets should be placed awayfrom the walls and from each other toallow air flow and to make it easier toclean and inspect for rodents and insects.

Chemicals, trash, waste, orodorous material must not be storednear fresh fruits and vegetables. Walls,

floors, and ceilings of storage areas mustbe systematically and periodicallycleaned to avoid accumulation of dirt orother contaminants.

Fruit and vegetable storage areasshould have accurate, recorded tempera-ture and humidity control to prevent ordelay microbial growth and to maintainproduce quality. The proper storage tem-perature and relative humidity will varyconsiderably depending on the commod-ity and its specific requirements

Transportation GHPs

Proper handling of fruits andvegetables during transportation is criti-cal to the safety of fresh fruits and vegeta-bles. Fresh produce is generally hauled intrucks or trailers. Trucks containingmixed loads should be packed to avoidcross-contamination.

Ideally the transportation vehi-cle would be sanitized after each load. It isimportant to remember that these vehi-cles also may haul other materials. If the

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previous load included animals, rawfoods such as fish, meat or eggs, or chem-ical substances, the produce should notbe placed in the vehicle until appropriatecleaning and sanitizing measures havebeen taken.

Trucks, trailers, and transporta-tion containers must be free of visiblefilth and food particles. Odors are a signthat the transportation equipment needsadditional cleaning since bad smells canbe an indication of microbiological con-tamination and/or poor cleaning.

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Costs and Benefits of Added Safety

Growers and processors deciding whether or not to adopt additional safetypractices for their operations must weigh the costs of the practices against their benefits.Costs include:

• investments in facilities to ensure safe water• worker training and/or re-training• upgrades to records to verify safety procedures• possible use of third-party audits to verify compliance with GAPs during production

and GHPs in packing and handling.

Benefits of adopting better safety practices include:• higher prices for quality produce• reduced safety risks• avoiding lost sales, damaged reputations, and potential law suits that may result if

contaminated produce is identified with the operation.

Since many retailers and food-service buyers are now requiring third-partyaudits as a condition of purchase, higher safety standards can open potential marketsfor product.

Further Reading

Brady, P.L. and Morris, J.R. 2005. Produc-tion and handling practices for safeproduce. Univ. of Arkansas Agric. Exp.Station Res. Rept. #978. Available on-line at:http://www.uark.edu/depts/agripub/Publications/bulletins/978.pdf

FDA. 1998. Guide to minimize microbialfood safety hazards for fresh fruitsand vegetables. FDA, Washington,D.C. Available online at:http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/prodguid.html

FDA. 2007. Guide to minimize microbialfood safety hazards of fresh-cut fruitsand vegetables. FDA, Washington,D.C. Available online at:http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodgui3.html

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All text photos courtesy of the University of Arkansas Institute of Food Science andEngineering.

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GoodAgricultural andHandlingPractices ...arkansas-ag-news.uark.edu/pdf/984.pdf · tion, post-harvest handling,packaging,transportation,and storage.Adequate food-safety precautions