Executive Summary
Produce washing is not a “kill” step that eliminates pathogens from the surfaces of the product. Produce washing is a process that:
- Must be carefully controlled and monitored to prevent the water from accumulating pathogens that may wash off of produce and become suspended in the water and cross-contamination product as it moves through the wash system.
- Has multiple variables including system design, disinfectant type, product contact time, organic build up in the water, degree of agitation, product loading rates, and make up or water replacement rates.
- Must be validated to ensure that preventive controls put in place to manage the accumulation of microorganisms are effective.
- Must be understood in terms of human pathogen biology with regard to their genetic and physiological capacities to permit survival in wash systems that are not operated optimally, i.e., properly controlled.