 The safety and quality of the final juice sold at the consumer ultimately depends on the safety and quality of the raw material. The raw materials include the fruit and or vegetable, water, and any additives used at any point in the process. In addition, the environment in and around the growing fields and the packing house can affect the safety and quality of the raw material. Microbial contamination of produce can occur at any point. One of the keys to reducing microbial risks on the farm is the commitment of the farmer and all farm workers. The raw materials used to make fruit and vegetable juices are grown and produced in many different geographical areas. Examples range from oranges grown in Florida to apples from Washington to carrots grown in California to cranberries from the bogs of Massachusetts. In addition to materials grown in the United States, raw material is produced in many countries throughout the world. This material comes in all shapes and sizes. The processor may receive this material as whole fruits and vegetables, purees, or single strength juices and juice concentrates. Containers used to shift this material can be as varied as a small wood basket to a very large stainless steel tank. No matter what the source of the raw material or the manner in which it arrives at the processing plant, the processor should be concerned with the controls used to minimize the potential contamination of the juice components at all stages of growth, storage, processing, and transportation. Resources available to food companies and growers include the guide to minimize microbial food safety hazards for fresh fruits and vegetables, published in October 1998 by the Food and Drug Administration, and food production and environmental stewardship, examples of how food companies work with growers, published by the Environmental Protection Agency. These documents provide examples of how a processor can interact with a grower to ensure the safety of the raw material and may be used to construct grower agreements, which could include water quality issues, chemicals used, commodity or variety grown, minimum grades or standards, and other areas as deemed appropriate. Growers should be aware of the microbiological problems that can occur and need to take steps to help protect the public health. There's no way to guarantee that everything grown on the farm is free from harmful microorganisms, but by taking some preventive measures during all phases of production, these risks can be reduced. In this module, we will be discussing the basic principles and recommended good agricultural and manufacturing practices for field and packing house operators to minimize microbial food safety hazards in the production, packing and transportation of fresh fruits and vegetables. Analyzing the risk of microbial contamination includes several major areas of concern. Soil, water quality and cooling, field, packing facility sanitation and transportation, worker hygiene and pest control. Each operator should decide which combination of proper agricultural and manufacturing practices are most appropriate for them. By identifying basic principles of microbial food safety within the processes of growing, harvesting, packing and transporting fresh produce, you will be better prepared to recognize and address the principal elements known to cause concern to microbial food safety. These include principle one, prevention of microbial contamination of fresh produce is favored over reliance on corrective actions once contamination has occurred. Principle two, to minimize microbial food safety hazards in fresh produce, growers, packers or shippers should use good agricultural and manufacturing practices in those areas over which they have control. Principle three, fresh produce can become microbiologically contaminated at any point along the farm to table food chain. The major source of microbial contamination with fresh produce is associated with human or animal feces. Principle four, whenever water comes in contact with produce, its source and quality dictates the potential for contamination. Minimize the potential of microbial contamination from water used with fresh fruits and vegetables. Principle five, practices using animal manure or municipal biosolid wastes should be managed closely to minimize the potential for microbial contamination of fresh produce. Principle six, worker hygiene and sanitation practices during production, harvesting, sorting, packing and transport play a critical role in minimizing the potential for microbial contamination of fresh produce. Principle seven, follow all applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations or corresponding or similar laws, regulations or standards for operators outside the U.S. for agricultural practices. Principle eight, accountability at all levels of the agricultural environment including the farm, packing facility, distribution center and transport operation is important to a successful food safety program. There should be qualified personnel and effective monitoring to ensure that all elements of the program function correctly and to help track produce back through the distribution channels to the producer. There are many possible ways for produce to become contaminated by harmful microorganisms during production, harvest and handling. These may include soil, irrigation water, animal manure, inadequately composted manure, wild and domestic animals, inadequate worker hygiene, harvesting equipment, transport containers, field to packing facility, wash and rinse water, unsanitary handling during sorting, equipment used to soak, pack or cut produce, ice, cooling units, transport vehicles, improper storage conditions and cross contamination. Biological hazards can stem from the use of manure as a fertilizer, improper storage of manure, agricultural chemicals, animal waste and unclean irrigation water. Fertilizing with manure can cause cases of foodborne illness. If manure is used for fertilization and soil building, only well composted manure should be used. Also the time between the application of manure to production areas and the harvesting of crops should be maximized. Raw or inadequately treated manure should not be applied to a vegetable crop during the growing season. While manure is stored or treated, it is important to prevent contamination of fields or water caused by runoff or wind blown particles from the manure. It's also important to keep the manure area far from vegetable fields and packing houses. To minimize exposure to animal waste, livestock should not be allowed to roam near the production fields. Growers should determine whether surrounding fields and farms are used for animal production. Growers should ensure that animal waste from adjacent fields or waste storage facilities does not contaminate the produce production areas during heavy rains, especially if fresh produce is grown in low-lying fields or orchards. Measures might include physical barriers such as ditches, mounds, grass sod waterways, diversion berms and vegetable buffer areas. In addition, high concentrations of wildlife such as deer or water fowl in a field may increase the potential for microbial contamination. Control of wild animal populations in the field may be difficult, especially where crop production areas are adjacent to wooded areas, open meadows and waterways. Federal, state or local animal protection requirements should also be considered. However, to the extent possible, where high concentrations of wildlife are a concern, growers should consider establishing good agricultural practices to deter or redirect wildlife to areas with crops that are not destined for the fresh produce market. Agricultural production chemicals should only be used according to the label, which includes the application rate, reentry date and safe harvest date. The prescribed use of these chemicals will prevent any pesticide or chemical residues that pose a chemical hazard. Water used in crop production involves numerous field operations including irrigation, applications of pesticides, growth regulators and fertilizers, and frost control. Post-harvest uses include produce rinsing, cooling, washing, waxing and transport. Water can also be a carrier of many microorganisms. Wherever water comes into contact with fresh produce, its quality dictates the potential for pathogen contamination. The quality of water, how and when it is used and the characteristics of the crop influence the potential for water to contaminate produce. In general, the quality of water in direct contact with the edible portion of produce may need to be of better quality compared to uses where there is minimal contact. Other factors that influence the potential for contact with water-borne pathogens and their likelihood of causing foodborne illness include the condition and type of crop, the amount of time between contact and harvest, and post-harvest handling practices. Produce that has a large surface area such as leafy vegetables and that with topographical features such as rough surfaces that foster attachment or entrapment may be at greater risk from pathogens if they are present, especially if contact occurs close to harvest or during post-harvest handling. Testing agricultural water for the presence of indicator organisms such as total coliforms or fecal coliforms allows a grower to build a history and knowledge of the quality of their water. It may also provide a grower with information to use when planning and implementing a corrective action plan should high levels of indicator organisms occur. The best quality water should be used for crop protection sprays and other water uses that contact the edible portion of the crop, especially close to harvest. Water quality is even more important when water contacts produce after harvest, such as for cooling or washing operations. Water should be safe and sanitary for its intended use, both at the start of and throughout all processes. Not only is high quality water important for safety reasons, but it also increases the post-harvest quality of produce by decreasing spoilage. Various methods are available for cooling produce, including water, ice and forced air. The method used depends on the fruit or vegetable and the resources of the operator. In most instances, cooling with air such as vacuum coolers or fans will pose the lowest risk. Water and ice used in cooling operations should be considered a potential source of pathogenic contamination. Further, reuse or recycling of water to cool continuous loads of produce increases the risk of cross-contamination. Contaminated produce from a single container going through a cooling process may result in the buildup of pathogens in the cooling water supply. Operators should follow good manufacturing practices to ensure that chilling does not introduce food safety hazards. Practices may include the following. Maintain temperatures that promote optimum produce quality. Maintain air cooling equipment and cooling areas. Air cooling equipment and cooling areas should be periodically cleaned and inspected. Potential sources of contamination should not be located near air intakes. Consider the use of antimicrobial chemicals in cooling water when appropriate. Keep water and ice clean and sanitary. Consider periodic microbial testing of chilling water and water used to make ice. Operators should contact ice suppliers for information about the source and quality of their ice. Water and hydrocoolers should be changed as often as needed. Manufacture, transport and store ice under sanitary conditions. Chilling equipment such as hydrocoolers and containers holding produce during chilling operations should be clean and sanitary. Field soil should be removed as much as possible from produce and containers prior to chilling. Interiors of hydrocoolers should routinely be cleaned and sanitized. If antimicrobial such as chlorine or ozone are used to maintain water quality, their concentration and any other factors such as pH and temperature that impact the effectiveness of the antimicrobial should be actively monitored and managed. Microbial contamination or cross-contamination of fresh produce during pre-harvest and harvest activities may result from contact with soils, fertilizers, water, workers and harvesting equipment such as harvesting machinery, knives, containers, tables, baskets, packaging materials, brushes and buckets. Any of these may be a source of pathogenic microorganisms. Growers should consider the following. Facilities used to store fresh produce should be cleaned and as necessary disinfected prior to harvest. These facilities should also be inspected for evidence of pests such as rodents, birds and insects. Discard damaged containers that are no longer cleanable in an effort to reduce possible microbial contamination of fresh produce. Clean containers or bins before using to transport fresh produce. Ensure that produce that is washed, cooled or packaged in the field is not contaminated in the process. Contact with manure or biosolids, poor quality water, workers with poor hygiene and unclean packaging or packing boxes greatly increases the risk of microbial contamination. Remove as much dirt and mud as possible from the produce before it leaves the field. Operations with poor sanitation in the packing environment can also significantly increase the risk of contaminating fresh produce. Pathogenic microorganisms may be found on the floors and in the drains in the packing facility and on the surfaces of sorting, grading and packing equipment. Without good sanitary practices, any of these surfaces that come in contact with fresh produce could be a potential source of microbial contamination. The design, construction, use and general cleanliness of the facility and equipment can help reduce the risk of cross-contamination of produce. The proper transport of fresh produce helps reduce the potential for microbial contamination. Microbial cross-contamination from other foods and non-food sources and contaminated surfaces may occur during loading, unloading, storage and transportation operations. Wherever produce is transported and handled, the sanitation condition should be evaluated. As previously mentioned, many pathogens can be transferred to fresh fruit and vegetables by ill workers who pick, package or handle the produce. Common sense and training can reduce contamination from humans. Frequent proper hand-washing is the most important strategy to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks. The importance of food workers' understanding and practicing proper hygiene cannot be overemphasized and are discussed in Module 3. Many insect pests can be controlled through integrated pest management, IPM, which combines biological control with chemical control. Multiple controls may be integrated for maximum effect. Insects by themselves can cause a great deal of damage to any commodity if left uncontrolled. In addition, secondary damage to the commodity caused by associated organisms can be of great concern. One of the primary pests for apples is the codling moth. The larva burrows into the flesh, leaving an open wound on the fruit. This wound can then be infected with bacteria, molds and fungi. Patchelin, a toxic product of mold growth, can then be formed in the wound. Patchelin is heat-stable and will not be removed or inactivated by intervention techniques applied to the final juice. Reducing or eliminating the amount of insect damage to the apple in the field will reduce or eliminate the amount of patchelin found in the final juice. Therefore, appropriate levels of insect control on the farm can help ensure a safe and consumable product. Pest can also be a source of and a means for spreading microbial pathogens in the field and packing facility. Pest control management is discussed in detail in Module 4. The ability to identify the source of a product can serve as an important complement to good agricultural and manufacturing practices intended to minimize liability and prevent the occurrence of food safety problems. The source of all raw materials should be well documented in case a traceback is needed. In addition, documentation on any water or additive testing, certificates of analysis, minimum grades and or standards met, lot identification, date received or shipped, agreements and processing documentation will help investigators in the event of a problem and may limit your liability. Documentation of date of harvest, farm identification and who handled the product from grower to receiver should be part of the shipping manifest. Information that needs to be a part of the manifest can be specified in the agreement between the supplier and the processor. Traceback is further discussed in Module 6. Thank you.