An ongoing study funded by the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) is looking to fill knowledge gaps about the potential for microbial cross-contamination in dry produce packinghouse environments, and to produce science-based information that packers can use to devise risk assessments and mitigation strategies. The study is led by Nitin Nitin, Ph.D., with the University of California, Davis (UC Davis).
The project involves laboratory experiments with yellow onions and peaches, as well as two different surface materials typically found in packinghouses. Onions are packed under entirely dry conditions, while peach processing has a combination of a wet wash and dry packaging. The research results could be applied to any produce commodities that undergo a portion of handling and packaging under dry conditions.