Food Protection Trends - November/December 2024 - 418

addressing a significant challenge in such manufacturing
environments. Nevertheless, the adoption of this technology
brings potential risks, primarily to operators' occupational
health and safety. Therefore, the implications of using this
technology need to be carefully considered. Although
it offers an effective solution to sanitation challenges in
LMF facilities, its implementation requires stringent safety
measures to protect operators from burns and prevent fire
hazards. Addressing these risks requires comprehensive
training and education for food industry workers.
Empowering them with knowledge about the technology,
its risks, and safety protocols is essential for ensuring
their occupational health and safety. For said reasons, the
development of a safety training presentation involving
concepts about the risks of the technology, how it works,
and what elements are needed to successfully operate the
equipment was crucial for the research team. To provide
an additional training tool, rooted in the concept of active
learning, the inclusion of several physical elements (e.g., PPE,
equipment, etc.) to safeguard operator's wellbeing was a
priority. Furthermore, incorporating feedback from workers
into the development and implementation of safety protocols
can enhance their effectiveness and acceptance among
stakeholders. Latest trends to achieve competitive advantages
and obtain sustainable development in industries include the
implementation of an integrated quality, environmental and
occupational health, and safety management approach. Our
work presents a unique example of this perspective.
CONCLUSIONS
This research can serve as a starting point for different
stakeholders that are currently in the search for an alternative
method of dry sanitation and who are considering superheated
steam. This promising technology has several advantages,
such as effective microbial reduction (20, 30), sustainability
regarding water use (28), and no need for chemicals (29);
therefore, it presents an opportunity to expand the current
REFERENCES
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options of surface sanitizers for food industries. Because
of its innate features, for example, high temperature and
invisibility, implementing this technology requires providing
workers with the necessary equipment and knowledge to
feel comfortable and empowered to use it. The results of this
pilot study provide insight into the importance of conducting
the necessary steps before incorporating a new technology
that will be handled by operators that have no preexisting
knowledge about it. Assessing operators' perceptions of safety
and incorporating applicable training situations might be
beneficial to the learning experience and knowledge transfer,
based on our results. Our findings may further aid superheated
steam equipment surface sanitizer manufacturers to
improve their products by showing the potential concerns
of users. Opportunities for designing the superheated steam
equipment to be more ergonomically friendly to users, especially
regarding its weight, could also be considered. Investing
in training programs using ALAs as well as addressing the
importance of food safety and the connection to a safe work
environment could improve overall performance. Addressing
these interconnected factors can lead to successful and
efficient implementation, thereby improving food safety
outcomes in the industry.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was funded by the Center for Produce Safety
and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Funding for this work was made possible by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing
Service through grant 21SCBPCA1002. Its contents are
solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily
represent the official views of the USDA. The authors declare
no conflict of interest with the supplier of the technology.
The authors acknowledge Cornell University Environmental
Health and Safety, who helped us navigate the early instances
of the study. The authors express their appreciation to the
study participants for their time and feedback.
418 Food Protection Trends November/December
https://www.bayzi.com/safety-information https://www.bayzi.com/safety-information https://www.astm.org/c1055-20.html https://www.astm.org/c1055-20.html
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