So Many Options, so Little Time: Selecting the Right Sanitizer for Your Operation

Using proper cleaning and sanitation practices is essential in maintaining produce quality and safety postharvest. Poor management at critical points in the flow of produce from field to market can magnify the potential for contamination to occur, remain and spread within any farming operation. The use of food grade sanitizers should be included in postharvest water as well as on food contact surfaces such as harvest containers, harvest knives, grading tables, sinks, and other equipment/tools that come in contact with produce. Sanitizing reduces the number of pathogens in these postharvest water applications, and prevents cross-contamination and the formation of biofilms; however, not all sanitizers are created equal. In this session, we will cover aspects you should consider when selecting a sanitizer and inherent differences among the efficacy of sanitizers when applied in a produce operation.