January/February 2023 - 19

PRODUCE SAFETY
Safeguarding produce
from viruses
ACTIVE PACKAGING TECHNOLOGIES CAN HELP SAFEGUARD
PRODUCE FROM A VARIETY OF VIRUSES, PROTECTING CONSUMERS
AND BRANDS FROM OUTBREAKS OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS
By Angela
Morgan
Director of business
development
Food Protection,
Aptar Food +
Beverage
SECTOR,
IN THE PRODUCE
assuring
freshness and safety
has long been a leading
concern of processors,
d i s t r i but o rs and
brands. Conventional
mitigation strategies
focus on wash interventions and food
safety plans to mitigate risk of foodborne
illness outbreaks. The success has been
limited, with produce-related outbreaks
continuing to occur every year.
A review of foodborne disease outbreaks
associated with tomatoes points to dozens
of events involving a range of pathogens
that caused thousands of illnesses
and several deaths ( " Outbreaks of
Foodborne Diseases Associated with
Tomatoes, " University of Florida Institute
of Food and Agricultural Sciences,
May 2012.) Outbreaks related to virus
contamination of berries is another
high-profile problem - one that has
become so pervasive that, in 2019, the
FDA announced it would focus on testing
frozen berries for several commonly
communicated viruses. Two problematic
viruses were at the forefront: human
norovirus (HNV) and hepatitis A (HAV).
The FDA's heightened attention to
berries stems from a series of outbreaks
related to frozen fruits and vegetables,
including a major recall in 2016 involving
more than 350 products from over 40
brands. After sampling revealed strains
of listeria, illnesses were reported across
several states. In 2018, 13 consumers were
infected with hepatitis A from frozen
strawberries and, the following year,
hepatitis A was found in blackberries and
mixed berries from large-scale suppliers.
To address contamination risks, food
processors typically employ a chlorine
wash or spray to reduce pathogen growth
on produce. While this method has
shown broad efficacy against various
microorganisms, it is performed prior
to the produce being packaged, leaving
an opportunity for post-treatment
contamination through continued contact
with equipment, humans or even the air.
One solution to leverage the antipathogenic
properties of chlorine
in a method that mitigates risk of
contamination post-packaging is through
chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas deployed in
the headspace of the sealed package.
Chlorine dioxide treatment is widely
accepted as a method of reducing
pathogens and has been used to disinfect
drinking water since the 1920s. However,
despite its value as a protective agent,
implementing this method of pathogen
reduction in the food industry presents
challenges to both processing safety and
a food's organoleptic qualities.
The large doses of ClO2 required per
package, and the need to store high
amounts of concentrated gasses on site,
can prove dangerous. Additionally, such
large doses of the gas can have an adverse
effect on organoleptic properties such as
taste, texture, scent or appearance. As a
result, this solution has historically not
advanced beyond the research phase.
However, new innovations in active
packaging technology have addressed
these challenges to bring a safe and
effective chlorine dioxide gas solution
to the market.
PRODUCE PROCESS ING
19
January/February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January/February 2023
