Study Evaluating Efficacy of Sanitizers Against Biofilms in Fruit Harvesting
Ongoing research funded by the Center for Produce Safety aims to evaluate the efficacy of commercially available sanitizers against common foodborne pathogens and biofilms encountered during tree fruit harvesting, and then conduct a validation study of the best-performing treatments at commercial facilities.
During tree fruit harvesting, bins and containers that are not effectively cleaned and sanitized can foster microbial growth and provide a reservoir for cross-contamination of produce. Such containers have been implicated in past foodborne illness incidents.