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produce washing to reduce microbial contamination of wash
water, thereby minimizing cross-contamination (2, 3, 4, 7,
11). When sanitizers are used to treat wash water, they must
be approved for use in water that contacts fresh produce.
Chlorine-based sanitizers are the most widely used in the
fresh produce industry (2, 3, 8). The highest antimicrobial
activity occurs when most of the chlorine is its free form (8).
This is highly dependent on pH, temperature of the water
and amount of organic matter present (3, 8). Therefore,
maintaining adequate sanitizer concentration in wash water
using chlorine can be challenging, and the concentration of
free chlorine must be monitored (3, 8). The antimicrobial
activity of PAA is less dependent on pH and organic matter
and is therefore often viewed as a better sanitizer choice.
Overall, inclusion of recommended concentrations of
chlorine and PAA sanitizers in wash water can effectively
reduce microbial populations by 1-2 log units on produce
surfaces (4, 7, 11).
Grower sanitizing practices can vary widely, with some
growers not using sanitizers in wash water at all, or using
incorrect or non-recommended practices, such as using
incorrect concentrations (too high or too low) or using liquid
soap or other household cleaners (5, 10).
A survey comparing grower practices between 1999 and
2016 documents a significant increase in the frequency of
sanitizer usage to clean harvest tools but does not document post-harvest sanitation practices (1). Therefore, it is
hypothesized that over the past two decades, a larger percentage of growers are utilizing sanitizers in their daily operations. The purpose of this study is to obtain information
on how fresh produce growers currently utilize sanitizers in
their operations. The overall goal is to determine whether
growers are utilizing sanitizers correctly or if further, focused training is needed to address specific sanitizer
use/application practices.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Data was collected using a survey tool that evaluated (1)
how produce growers use sanitizers in their daily operations
and (2) preferred delivery methods for educational materials.
Paper surveys were delivered in person to produce growers
attending Cooperative Extension grower meetings during
winter 2017. All growers attending the meeting (regardless
of farm size) were included in the survey. The educational
content the growers received during these meetings varied
and was not associated with the survey content. For example, selection of correct sanitizers was not discussed at these
meetings. At the beginning of each meeting, attendees were
given a brief verbal introduction about the survey and the
survey was distributed. The survey protected their anonymity
and participation was voluntary. All parts of this study were
approved by the Virginia Tech Institutional Review Board
(IRB # 16-817).

Pilot test
Survey questions were pilot-tested at a single grower
meeting with 22 participants. This was conducted to ensure
that growers could understand the terminology used to
frame survey questions and to ensure that answer choices for
multiple choice questions were appropriate. Questions were
revised based on the participants' feedback, and revisions
were incorporated into the final survey.
Survey
The survey consisted of 12 questions: nine multiplechoice, one fill-in-the-blank, and two open-ended questions.
The survey had four main sections: (1) questions about
wash systems (type and concentration of sanitizer used and
methods of monitoring); (2) factors influencing adoption of
a new sanitizer and their preferred source of information; and
(3) demographics (duration of farming, farm location).
Data analysis
Responses from the surveys were gathered and organized
according to the corresponding questions in the survey.
Response rate (%) for each question was determined and the
percentage of answers for each question was calculated. Data
was analyzed using Microsoft Excel (MS Excel, Redmond,
WA). Growers' sanitizer-use practices and the top three
influencers of their adoption of a sanitizer were identified.
RESULTS
Data was collected at grower meetings conducted across
VA between January and May 2017. Sixty-five completed
surveys were collected and analyzed.
Demographics
Produce growers in the meetings represented very
small (48%), small (35%), and large (17%) farms. This
classification is based on the average annual monetary value
of produce sold, on a rolling basis, during the previous 3-year
period. Most growers had been farming for less than 10
years (37%) or more than 10 years (47%). Two respondents
indicated that they had "just started," and one claimed to
have been farming "all my life."
Sanitizer use practices
Primary information retrieved from questions on
sanitizer use practices included types of systems used to
wash produce, types of sanitizers used to wash produce,
concentration of sanitizer used, and types of monitoring
systems used to measure sanitizer concentration. Eightytwo percent of respondents (50/61) used a wash system
to wash their produce. Of those, a spray bar was the most
common system used (40%), followed by a dump tank
(35%) and flume (12%) (Fig. 1). "Triple sink," "water
hose," "stainless steel trough," "laundry sink," and "hand
wash stations" were among "other" systems used (14%)

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