Team finds ways to protect apples postharvest
Pennsylvania is the nation’s fourth largest producer of apples. Once these apples and other tree fruits are picked, they are sent to packing facilities where the fruit can come in contact with germs such as listeria that can survive in these cold and wet environments.
Pennsylvania State University researchers studied the seasonal changes in three different packing facilities and identified specific micro-organisms indicative of listeria. The study demonstrated that current cross-sectional sampling strategies may not accurately reflect the conditions for food contamination in food packing environments.
These findings were used in developing educational videos to be used to train workers in postharvest food safety. The ongoing research is also hoping to better understand how germs like listeria are able to persist in fruit-packing facilities.
View the full statement on the NIDB.
Project supported by Hatch and AFRI funds. Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station.
