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Further sanitizing with a chlorine solution necessary, depending on the type of

More Green Beans and Peas may be needed. Belt conveyors and other
equipment can be spot-sprayed with a 100
ppm chlorine solution. Boots, gloves,
system.

Temperature control
Good Agricultural Practices
smocks, and aprons should be cleaned or
replaced as needed.
Maintaining proper holdingroom tempera-
ture will promote product quality and
for the
Production and Handling
reduce microbial growth. Temperature
Pest control should be monitored in order to ensure
Southeastern
Regional Program
A pest control program will minimize risk of established product temperature param-

of Green Beans
contamination by rodents or other animals. eters.
In an open or exposed packinghouse
operation, the best control is constant Shipping
vigilance and elimination of any discovered

and Peas
animals and their potential nesting loca- Vehicles
tions. Product and/or product remnants will Trucks must be inspected for sanitary
attract pests; therefore, the daily cleaning of condition and optimum transit temperature
the packing house to eliminate the attrac- before being loaded with produce. Check
tive food source should help reduce pests. for visible cleanliness, odors, dirt, and/or Sponsored by:
other debris prior to loading. Any truck
Facility sanitation showing these conditions should be re- USDA-CSREES
jected. Check for pest infestation, physical National Integrated Food Safety Initiative
Packinghouse facilities have the potential
condition, and the presence of a properly Project Number 00-51110-9722
for developing microbial growth on walls,
tunnels, ceilings, floors, doors, and drains. aligned air chute before loading. Make sure Southern Regional Fresh Produce Food Safety Training Program
Scheduled washdown and/or sanitizing of a Ryan temperature recorder is present to
Edited by:
the facility will reduce the potential for monitor cold temperature during transit.
microbial growth. The cooling system Never load produce into a warm truck. Dennis J. Osborne, Extension Associate, Horticultural Science Department
should be monitored and cleaned as Douglas C. Sanders, Extension Horticulture Specialist, Horticultural Science Department
Donn R. Ward, Associate Department Head, Food Science

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

Published by
NORTH CAROLINA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SER
NORTH VICE
SERVICE
Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Employment and program opportunities are
offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. North Carolina State University, North
Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

09/02—JL/VG G03 43002


Herman Hohlt, cals, so no pathogens are present. cleaning, they can be sanitized by using a Neither precooling nor storage tempera-

More Green Beans and Peas

More Green Beans and Peas


Virginia Polytechnic Institute Composted sewage sludge should not be very strong sodium hypochlorite solution tures should be lower than 45°F. Relative
and State University, used, as it may contain pathogens as well as dispensed from a high-pressure sprayer. humidity should be 90 to 95 percent. All
Blacksburg, Virginia heavy metal contamination. products should be shipped in refrigerated
Harvesting trailers with temperature monitors.
Irrigation
Introduction Green beans and peas must be harvested at
Receiving
Natural surface water (e.g., canal, lake, optimum maturity based on buyer specifica-
Green beans and peas may be harvested by pond) provides enough organic matter to tions. Pods should be harvested when the Harvest crews should remove as much dirt
hand and packed directly in the field for the support the growth of bacterial pathogens. It sieve size is small and pods are straight and and mud from the product as is possible
fresh market. They may also be harvested may be used with caution for irrigation but dark green. Overmature pods that are before the product leaves the field. The
by machine, loaded into a bulk container or should be tested for the presence of the yellowed, curved, or damaged from insects initial inspection at the packing house
truck, and hauled to a packing shed for bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli), which is or rot must be removed. Harvest crews must should remove any remaining debris before
cleaning, packaging, and cooling. Field an indicator of fecal contamination. Ground- be trained to remove extraneous leaves, the beans reach the mechanical sorters or
sanitation practices are very important to water is less likely to harbor pathogens that stems, or soil clods. Field-packed crates water flumes.
reduce the spread of disease among plants will harm humans but should be analyzed should be removed promptly after filling so
and to prevent the possibility of contamina- for heavy metal and pesticide contamina- that excessive heat buildup does not occur. Water
tion by pathogens harmful to humans. tion. Crates should be cooled as soon as pos- Water used in cleaning and cooling should
Overhead irrigation is more likely to sible. be chlorinated at a concentration of 75 to
Preharvest spread contamination to above-ground plant Mechanical harvesters can be a primary 100 ppm of free chlorine. Chlorination can
parts than is root-zone irrigation. Growers source of disease carryover if they become be accomplished using a gas injection
Raw product safety
should document how water is stored, if contaminated. Harvesters should be system, adding bleach, or using calcium
The principal hazard to green beans or peas animals are confined nearby, and if water is cleaned and adjusted daily. Fans should be hypochlorite tablets.
is microbial contamination from pathogens potable (safe for drinking). set to remove the maximum amount of trash Chlorination levels in the water should be
harmful to humans. Ensuring the safety of so that it is left in the field. Bulk bins or monitored frequently during operation
these products begins with preventing Pesticide usage truck bodies should be routinely sanitized to through the use of a chlorine test kit. Water
exposure in the field. The best guarantee of keep disease inoculum from building on
Growers must comply with all federal and pH should be maintained between 6.5 and
a safe, raw product is a proactive food their surfaces and infecting sound produce.
state labels and must be able to answer the 7.5 to avoid having to use excess chlorine
safety program that has been designed and Once picked, the beans or peas need to be
following questions: Do you oversee your and in order to maintain recommended free
implemented to identify and prevent shaded until they enter the packing shed.
pesticide-spraying program? Do you have chlorine levels. Excessive use of chlorine
hazards during production and postharvest One of the most important factors in
record-keeping procedures to track all causes gassing off (objectionable chlorine
handling. Growers/shippers should familiar- efficient harvester operation is that the crop
spraying of this crop? Do you or the state/ odor). Excessive chlorine gas can irritate
ize themselves with safe production prac- be grown for the harvester. Fields should be
federal government regularly test your crops workers’ skin, is corrosive to equipment,
tices so they might be viewed as qualified kept flat during seeding or cultivation.
for residue levels? and increases sanitation costs.
suppliers among potential buyers. Varieties should be selected that set beans

Land-use history Harvesting and Handling in the top of the plant away from the Employee hygiene
ground. Irrigation should be employed when
Good employee hygiene is critical in reduc-
Grazing animals on or near crop land can Picking necessary so that the plants elongate and
ing contamination by workers. Employee
introduce bacteria harmful to humans into Hand-harvesting may lead to pathogen raise the crop away from the soil. When
training, health screening, and constant
the soil. Growers should ensure that land contamination if field workers practice poor plants are stunted, green beans touch the
monitoring of packinghouse sanitation
has not been used for animal husbandry hygiene. Field crews must be trained and ground, and rotten ends are the result.
practices (hand washing, personal hygiene)
during the current growing season and that monitored for personal hygiene, and por- Pesticide application should be adjusted
are important. All grading line personnel
it is not close to either animal feedlots or table bathrooms and hand-washing facilities based on the diseases and or insects
should wear gloves.
water runoff from grazing lands. Previous must be provided in the field and must be present. Once the crop leaves the field, it is
improper use of pesticides can result in maintained. too late to control insect or disease losses.
Packinghouse equipment
hazardous residues on raw products.
Packinghouse equipment should always be
Field containers Postharvest Handling maintained in clean condition. The rem-
Fertilizer use Precooling and storage
Harvest containers should be nontoxic, easy nants of product left on belts, tables, lines,
Incompletely composted organic fertilizers to clean, and free of extraneous materials Once harvested, green beans can be and conveyors could provide a food source
may contain bacteria harmful to humans (e.g., nails, wood splinters, etc.). They must hydrocooled to remove field heat. Both for microbial growth; thus standard cleaning
from animal or human feces. If organic be approved by the U.S. Department of green beans and peas can be room-cooled. procedures should include scrubbing to
fertilizers are used, they must be certified as Agriculture (USDA) or the Food and Drug Both are also susceptible to chilling injury. remove particles.
completely composted. Inorganic fertilizers Administration (FDA) for field use. After
originate from nontoxic, synthetic chemi-

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