July 2021 - 11

Sormac washer with UV-C unit.
Introducing
Crop Health
Monitoring
FDA also promised to conduct
follow-up surveillance during
the fall 2020 California growing
and harvest season, to promote
tech-enabled traceability, and
to enhance outbreak and recall
communications.
Under addressing knowledge
gaps, FDA promised to conduct
longitudinal studies. In November
of last year, FDA announced the
launch of a multi-year longitudinal
study to improve food safety
through a deeper understanding of
the pathogens that cause foodborne
illness outbreaks.
" In alignment with the FDA's
New Era of Smarter Food Safety
initiative, the findings from this
longitudinal study will contribute
new knowledge on how various
environmental factors may
influence bacterial persistence
and distribution in the region, and
how those factors may impact the
contamination of leafy greens, "
Frank Yiannas, FDA deputy
commissioner for food policy and
response, said at the time of the
announcement.
Equipment manufacturers
respond
Prevention, though, goes
beyond the field. At the processing
level, equipment manufacturers,
including Sormac and Kronen,
are making strides to mitigate the
spread of foodborne pathogens at
the processing level.
In a recent internal study,
Sormac investigated to see if UV-C
could be used to disinfect wash
water. UV-C is ultraviolet light that
lies outside of humans' observable
spectrum. Their investigation
found that the germicidal effect
was highest between 240 and 280
nanometers. At this wavelength,
the light disrupts the DNA of
microorganisms, inhibiting them
from multiplying. The study, which
was conducted at a pilot scale first
and then a larger scale, garnered
positive results when UV-C was
used correctly.
UV-C disinfection offers
processors three possible benefits.
It can reduce the probability
of cross-contamination where
pathogens are transferred from one
product to another. Because the
end product is microbiologically
'cleaner,' it's possible to extend
product shelf life. UV-C
disinfection may also offer
financial savings, as less fresh water
is needed in the process.
Kronen makes improvements
Processors don't have time to
fuss with hard-to-clean machines.
They want to minimize downtime
and get sanitation crews in and out
quickly. To address this concern,
Kronen focuses on quick and
easy disassembly and reassembly
methods for cleaning.
Speed isn't always desirable,
though, especially in washers
designed for leafy greens.
" One of the downsides of most
washers is dwell time, " said U.S.
sales manager Russell Quandt.
" The product has to be in contact
with the sanitizing solution for a
very strict amount of time, and
most washers run too fast for that. "
To address this issue, Kronen
designed a new washer for
vegetables and leafy greens: GEWA
3800 RT.
The GEWA 3800 RT washer
utilizes helical-style water
agitation. Instead of running
through the washer, the discharge
is blocked for a set amount of time
so product in the wash tank can be
thoroughly agitated and separated,
allowing for complete exposure to
sanitizer. The timer can be changed
to suit customer specifications.
" It takes the guesswork out from
having operators decide how long
the product's been in the solution, "
said Quandt.
Kronen is also constantly
working to upgrade the hygienic
design and performance of their
washers, he added. They're doing
this by eliminating harboring
points, including square corners,
steel tube, and wire and cable
management systems. They use
continuous welds instead of
stitch welds, as well as standoffs
to eliminate surface-to-surface
connections. All surfaces in the
washers are sloped so water cannot
pool and sit.
" In the machine industry,
it's easy to make a machine
complicated, " Quandt concluded.
" It's more difficult to make them
simple, and Kronen has been very
good at designing machines that
work extremely well with the least
amount of parts. "
Kronen works with small to
medium-sized processors and
customizes equipment to customer
specifications. VGN
VGN | JULY 2021 | 11
ON-DEMAND
Crops speak
for themselves.
Real-time data
from the roots
every 4 inches.
MOISTURE
NUTRITION
TEMPERATURE
Now with worry
and hassle-free
subscription services!
Monthly subscription includes
underground monitoring probes,
wirelesss data plan, analytics,
and reporting.
Not using it? Hibernate!
Activate when your next
crop season begins.
Learn more at aquaspy.com/crophesy
Brought to you by AquaSpy
http://www.aquaspy.com/crophesy
July 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2021
