ARS | Publication request: Packingline sanitizers for use against canker and decay pathogens

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 20, 2006
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Interest in general sanitation in citrus packinghouses has turned to specific reduction of the canker organism from post harvest fruit and packinglines. Existing methods are not efficient and reduction of the bacterial colonies is not sufficient to allow transport and sale of fruit outside the quarantine area. Some treatments can clean surface grime from fruit but do not significantly reduce the populations of microorganisms on their surfaces. Understanding the bacterium and what affects it is essential to establishing a post harvest sanitation system or even developing a prophylactic to maintain preharvest quality. The efficacy of the use of peroxyacetic acid on fruit and lines are discussed here and affects of PAA directly on the bacterial cells is described. Allowable sanitation measures will be discussed as well as experimental measures that show preliminary promise to reduce bacterial cells from packinglines.