Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/681909
8 JUNE 2016 Good Fruit Grower www.goodfruit.com T ree fruit packers must take additional steps to ensure that bins are examined and receive adequate treatment throughout bin handling, new research shows, in one of the first studies to examine cleaning practices for wooden and plastic bins. The two-year study, funded by the Center for Produce Safety, identified several important factors to assist the industry in the face of increasing scrutiny of its food safety practices. Researchers worked with individual packing houses on the study. Their goals: to evaluate current practices for reducing overall microbial levels on both wooden and plastic apple bins and to identify new strategies to maintain bins in sanitary condition throughout the season. The researchers worked with each packing house to develop data collection meth- ods that minimized interference with production for each operation, while allowing the scientists to examine key practices during normal packing line operation. In one facility, fruit bins were tracked over time, and in some cases, research included several trips from the packing house to the orchard and back. Four collaborating packing houses Are your Promising options for wooden and plastic bins' "cleanability" were identified in study. by Shannon Dininny bins sanitary? Photos courtesy Ines hanrahan Debris was found on wooden and plastic bins following dump tank treatments. At top, plastic bins go through a dump tank in an apple packing house.