Handling Your Food Safety Risks

by Shari L. Plimpton, Ph.D.
August 2005

By now, most growers have heard of GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices), and some, even of GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), yet, after a couple of years of speaking and consulting about GAPs and all of its related topics, I still get some blank stares when I mention GHPs (Good Handling Practices). What that tells me, of course, is that I haven’t done a good enough job of providing useful information about GHPs and I hope to rectify that now.

GHPs are all of those precautions you take from storage through transportation through warehousing to minimize the risk of foodborne illness. Our emphasis on preventing contamination in the GAPs program doesn’t stop at the packing house. GHPs include chilling, storing and transporting produce (and storage again if you are warehousing). GHPs also overlap with GAPs in the areas of worker health and hygiene and water quality. Training and education in food safety is just as important for workers who are handling produce in storage and in the loading of trucks as it is for those in the fields and in the packing house. Water used post-packing (especially that used for ice) should meet potable standards.

Cleaning, sanitation, and temperature control are the focus for GHPs. In storage facilities, this means developing and implementing cleaning and sanitizing procedures prior to turning on the refrigeration units and filling your storage with produce. I want to emphasize cleaning and sanitizing as two separate activities and two separate procedures. Cleaning is done first to remove debris and organic materials by using a cleanser designed for the job. After rinsing, a sanitizer is then used to inactivate any remaining microorganisms. If you are developing a food safety plan, you would describe in writing your Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for cleaning including the type of cleanser, the amount to use and how to rinse. An SOP would also then be written separately for the sanitation procedure.

Cleaning and sanitizing is compromised if there are any cracks or crevices in which organic material and therefore microorganisms can hide. Inspect, replace, repair and/or meticulously clean as appropriate the following:

If you are using ice, recognize that you are using a material that is a potential hazard if not handled properly. One microorganism that is well known for causing foodborne illness and is particularly tolerant of cooler temperatures is Listeria monocytogenes. This microorganism and others can be present in ice, ready to multiply and grow rapidly when the ice melts and temperatures increase. For this reason, the water and everything used in the manufacture, conveyance and storage of ice must be clean and sanitized. Using potable water is a must. After that, recognize that the ice house itself, and all conveyors and chutes, must be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis. Porous surfaces such as wood should be replaced with cleanable surfaces wherever the surface comes in contact with the ice.

Maintain your storage temperatures. Keep storage facilities within the recommended temperature range for the produce you are storing. Monitor and document your storage temperatures on a regular schedule, so you can demonstrate that produce is handled safely while under your control. If produce is kept cool up front, microbial growth is minimized and your risk is minimized. Temperature abuse after produce has left your control is less likely to result in cases of foodborne illness if growth is prevented early in on in handling.

Finally, inspect trucks prior to loading to insure cleanliness and proper refrigeration. This is often the last thing a grower can control in their operation. Identify prior loads hauled in the truck. Trucks that have hauled raw animal products should be avoided due to the risk of cross contamination, so specify up front that you don’t want trucks that are hauling raw animal products. From my own experience, it is often possible to tell if a truck has been properly cleaned by both appearance and the smell. Know where the closest truck cleaning station is to your operation, so you can direct drivers to it if they come to you to dirty to load. As a part of your food safety program, document truck temperature, cleanliness, state of the product, and required shipping temperature range at time of shipment. Including your recommended temperature range on the bill of lading is a good way to communicate and easily document your expectations for the handling of your produce after its left your control.

A complete food safety program includes GAPs, GMPs (if you have a packing house), and finally, GHPs. Be thorough, be prepared, and you will significantly reduce your risk for microbial contamination of fresh produce. The Ohio and Indiana Specialty Crop Food Safety Initiative offering growers a variety of tools to address pests and other food safety issues. The Initiative is presented in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency.

Consultation for GAPs, developing food safety programs, and passing third party audits is available through CIFT. You can reach us by calling Shari L. Plimpton at 614-314-4627 or emailing us at foodsafety@eisc.org.

Good Agricultural Practices Articles...

• ABCs of GAPs

• Cleanliness is Next to Food Safety

• The Distant Sound of Drumming

• The Efficient Use of Chlorine and Other Sanitizers in Postharvest Fruit and Vegetable Operations

• The Elements of Produce Food Safety Programs

• GAPs in Organics: Fresh Produce Safety from Pre-planting through Production

• Handling Your Food Safety Risks

• Its Not All in the Bag

• Passing a Third Party Food Safety Audit

• Pest Patrol for Fruit and Vegetable Growers

• Planning for Prevention: Fresh Produce Safety from Pre-planting through Production

• So, Just How Clean is Your Water

• Sustaining Healthy Soil

• The Value of a Food Safety Plan

• Water, Water Everywhere

• Worker Hygiene Keeps Produce Clean