What Can We Learn From Low-Moisture Foods and Dry Sanitation

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend "Advancing Dry Sanitation," a workshop led by the Cornell Dry Sanitation Research Advisory Council and Kerry. It was truly eye-opening to learn about the technologies available for low-moisture environments, including hot-oil flushing, lasers and dry-ice blasting. The workshop also prompted me to consider how we might adapt or rethink cleaning practices in the fresh produce industry.

Although the fresh produce industry has historically relied on wet sanitation due to the nature of its commodities, and few commodities currently use dry sanitation. The following are my key takeaways from the conference that may be applied to the fresh produce industry:

• Risk-based thinking is essential. Sanitation does not always reduce risk; therefore, it is important to consider the context in which a hazard may occur.

• "Treat water as 'glass'" was one of the key phrases I learned at the workshop. This phrase emphasizes managing water as a potential hazard by prioritizing prevention and responding promptly when water is introduced. This approach involves understanding the hazard, keeping dry areas dry, and ensuring that any water introduced can be managed effectively.

• Understanding the specifics of your operation is essential, including the targets you intend to remove, potential moisture-related risks and the technologies available. Identify the solution best suited to your operational needs. Most importantly, recognize that data without context is difficult to use; establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and understand your baseline metrics.

• Root cause analysis is critical, and the insights gained from an RCA can help operations teams implement appropriate mitigation measures where risks have been identified.

• Hygienic design is essential, regardless of the sanitation method employed. Effective moisture management begins with a hygienic design and requires thorough drying. Ensure that crevices are eliminated and all sources of moisture are controlled. Crevice depth is also important because areas that are difficult to clean, sanitize, and, most importantly, dry can increase risk.

• Foster cross-sector communication and collaboration among industry, regulators, academia and engineering firms developing equipment and dry sanitation solutions. Each commodity and operation presents unique challenges that require tailored approaches. While laboratory-scale studies, using surface coupons, provide valuable insights, their findings may not translate directly to commercial operations. Collaboration is needed to bridge the gap between research and practical, industry-relevant solutions.

• From a legal perspective, it is important for operations to have a validated sanitation process to demonstrate the effectiveness of cleaning and sanitization. This helps limit recall scope and supports lot segregation. Without a validation step, operations may need to take broader action.

Relevant Research and Resources for the Produce Industry

In recent years, the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) has funded several research projects addressing dry sanitation challenges, microbial persistence and cross-contamination risk in fresh produce handling and packing operations. Below are three relevant studies that provide insights into these challenges and potential mitigation strategies.

• Practical application of superheated steam to harvesting, processing, and produce packing tools and equipment

This study evaluated the use of superheated steam as a dry sanitation method for fresh produce handling practices, and it focused on pathogen inactivation, surface compatibility and operational feasibility.

• Identification of routes and mechanisms for distribution and establishment of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria spp. in avocado packing environments

This research investigated Listeria monocytogenes persistence and cross-contamination in dry avocado packing facilities

• Cross-contamination risk in dry environments

This study investigated the risk factors influencing microbial cross-contamination during dry handling of fresh produce, specifically in onions and stone fruits.